Maybe I'm Falling For You
by Flightlessbird11
Summary: Edward and Bella meet one cloudy May morning at their neighborhood coffee bar. Little do they know that they have actually been conversing for several months under assumed names. Collaboration between CPW and FLB11. M for language and lemony goodness.
1. Good Day Sunshine

**A/N: Flightlessbird11: So, I was listening to Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop by that dude Landon Pigg and all of a sudden this idea for a story popped into my brain... BAM**

**Coldplaywhore: You mean the song from the AT&T commercial right?**

**Flightlessbird11: Yeah, that's the one. *rolls her eyes* Anyways, Bella and Edward meet at a coffee shop one day and basically drool over each other and then go home to their computers and chat online. **

**Coldplaywhore: So? What's so thrilling about that? Where the hell are the lemons and the UST? Why can't they talk in the coffee shop and then have sex against the macchiato machine or something?**

**Flightlessbird11: Well, duh… they have no idea that they've just met in real life!**

**Coldplaywhore: Ohhhh! Well that does sound interesting, but how can we twist that? By the way, do you say 'duh' in real life too? If so, I'm glad we've never met, yet!**

**Flightlessbird11: Well, I'd tell you, but... um (**_**whispers and points to readers)**_** we kind of have an audience and I don't want to spoil anything for them, and no I do not say 'duh' in real life. So shut your pie whole whore.**

**Coldplaywhore: Well then, without further adieu here is Chapter One of this random little mess we like to call 'MIFFY'. **

**EPOV**

_Shoelaces untied  
You can dry your eyes  
Perfect shadows alive  
Behind us  
This is the day I make you mine_

The way your hair lies  
sometimes unrecognized  
All the way from these today  
on a train  
Nothing to say if there's still time

But you are the one  
I've been waiting for today  
And here comes the sun  
That's been baiting on today

I've only lived in this neighborhood for a month, but already I have seen the weirdest people imaginable. There was the one guy who carried around an empty guitar case completely open and I couldn't help but wonder if he lost his guitar. There's also this guy who mumbles incoherent babble down on Houston who seemed to revel in the fact that the world was coming to an end soon. Then there was the one girl who had a fake parrot on her shoulder and liked to talk like a pirate, she had hit on me and I quickly pretended I was unable to speak English and ran like the wind. Today's seemed to take the cake though.

I was waiting patiently at 'Common Grounds' the coffee shop located mere steps from my apartment listening to the girl in front of me sing Joshua Radin at the top of her lungs. That wasn't the interesting thing though. Her odd choice of clothing had completely caught me off guard. She had long dark brown hair buried underneath a yellow rain hat and her small frame was hidden behind an oversized bright yellow rain slicker. From the back, she looked like a female version of the Gorton's Fisherman; I kid you not. The strange girl also had red and white striped socks pulled up to her knees as well as a pair of blue rain boots covered in tiny white skulls and roses.

She was in the middle of singing and not paying attention when the person in front of her finished ordering their coffee and the girl at the counter was trying to get her attention, to no avail. I looked back and forth between the girl in front of me and the girl at the counter for a moment, before coming to the conclusion that it was up to me to get her attention. I tapped her twice on the shoulder. "You're up," I said as she turned to look at me, taking an ear bud out of her ear.

It was like the wind was knocked out of me as I looked at her, right in the eyes. She was beautiful and I immediately forgot what the hell I was doing. Her long brown hair hung down her shoulders and she wore what I could only guess was a very long homemade scarf in multi colors around her small and graceful neck. The piece de resistance though was the fact under her oversized rain slicker she wore a very tight white t-shirt that said 'Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute' and a pair of indecently short shorts. I could even see her black lace bra beneath the shirt and I grew hard instantly. _Jesus Christ, she was my fucking wet dream come to life._

She looked at me for a moment, obviously trying to figure out what the hell I meant, her eyebrows knitting together in the cutest fucking way. "Sorry," she said, turning around and walking towards the counter.

"Large café latte with extra foam please," she announced to the girl behind the counter, whose nametag read 'Margaret'. We had become somewhat friendly in the three straight weeks I had come here and she was sweet enough to me, even though she simply took my order and passed me along to the next person to assist me. I probably stood out like a geeky sore thumb in the crowd of crazies that came in here. I was dressed in a simple pair of khaki shorts with a short sleeved dark green button down shirt and a pair of Birkenstock sandals. I looked like I should be going to a clambake, not a coffee shop in the middle of Greenwich Village.

I clutched my newspaper under my arm and had planned to sit on one of the small tables outside to simply enjoy the May morning, but apparently the weather was not planning to agree with me because just as I moved up to place my order, it began to rain outside. My newspaper would now be used to shelter my head as I ran back into the obscene quiet of my apartment. Perhaps I would just find a seat inside the small café and relax here instead.

"Regular Espresso Machiatto," I announced to Margaret as the girl in front of me turned to pick up her own coffee from the counter. She grasped her drink and turned to walk outside, bitching about the weather even though she was completely dressed for it. "Do you know that girl?" I asked Margaret as she nodded her head slowly.

"Yeah, she's in every morning around the same time. I think she lives around here. Dresses like a hot mess all the time," she said with a gentle laugh as I shook my head and quickly pulled a five dollar bill from my wallet to pay for my drink and muffin. I moved to the side to wait for my purchase as I looked out the window and watched her walk down the busy street, not really giving a shit that it was pouring rain outside, a smile wide on her face as she looked like she began singing again. _I was smitten._

After I picked up my order, the rain had subsided enough for me to consider making a mad dash back to the confines of my apartment. As I moved to leave, I saw the parrot girl walking into the shop and quickly made a bee line to the magazine rack to ignore her as best as I could. As she got into line, I ran out the front door and across the street into my building, eagerly bouncing up the stairs.

When I walked in, I peeled off my slightly dampened shirt and settled in front of my desk, turning on my laptop as I took a sip of my coffee. As I waited impatiently for it to load up, the Windows logo annoying me beyond belief, I took a quick bite of my muffin and flipped open my newspaper to the life and times section to see if any of my upcoming clients were featured in the 'engagements' section.

People in New York City were obsessive about their weddings and it truly worked to my benefit. When I wasn't writing crappy greeting cards from the comfort of my home for a major corporation, I work as a wedding photographer. Brides were willing to pay almost anything for my services and my wallet appreciated it more than they realized it. I had often gone home with a few of the female guests at the weddings, but lately it had been getting more than tiresome. I realized not too long ago that I wanted something more… something like the thirty years of marriage my parents were celebrating later in the summer. I wanted 'the one.'

_PennyLane84: Morning Stranger._

Ah, one of my favorite times of the day, when I found my constant companion online or in today's case she found me.

_Paperback_Writer:_ _Morning yourself._

_PennyLane84: I didn't see you around last night, started to worry you got attacked by the parrot lady again._

_Paperback_Writer: Thankfully no, although I did see her this morning at my local coffee shop. I hid like a coward and prayed she found her own personal pirate… or walked off the plank, either option seemed good to me._

PennyLane84 and I had met online several months ago on a music based chat room where we got into a heated discussion with some punk teenager with the handle 'Paul_iz_Ded', who insisted to us that the Beatles were overrated. Of course, PennyLane and I being huge Beatles fans, as evidenced by our own handles, spent the next few hours trying to bend him to our ways and lead him from the dark side, to no avail. On a positive note though, I struck an unlikely friendship with another fellow New Yorker and we chatted about virtually everything, including my favorite parrot lady.

_PennyLane84: That's a shame, she sounded like a lovely woman, arrghh… (attempting pirate impression. Is it working?)_

_Paperback_Writer: Yeah, I tend to prefer my ladies with pets that don't molt. (No, not really. LOL)_

_PennyLane84: No molting pets. Got it. Can you handle two crazy roommates? Thanks for crushing my ego btw._

_Paperback_Writer: Well if it helps at all, I am sure hidden behind your computer monitor I am certain you are a pretty woman. (Stroking the ego as best as I can) I don't do crazy roommates either. If I did, I'd still be living with my two best friends._

_PennyLane84: Apology accepted. Do you live alone?_

_Paperback_Writer: No. I have 87 cats actually. I'm the cat man of New York City._

_PennyLane84: See, we could never work in real life. I love dogs._

_Paperback_Writer: Whatever PL84. You don't have a pet, you just told me so. What makes you think you wouldn't like one of my cats?_

_PennyLane84: Allergies._

_Paperback_Writer: Look at that… the cats are gone. I have an allergy to raisins, or at least I tell people I do because I hate the texture._

_PennyLane84: And you think the parrot lady is weird?_

_Paperback_Writer: Make fun all you want. Didn't you previously mention an aversion to cereal?_

_PennyLane84: Not all cereal… just the shit that stays crunchy in milk. I mean, how do they do that? Isn't it supposed to go soft? I'm certain they smother the cereal in all sorts of additives and preservatives that will probably cause me to sprout a third limb. Although I suppose an extra arm would help me walk the dogs._

_Paperback_Writer: It always comes back to those damned dogs._

_PennyLane94: So what's on your agenda for the day?_

_Paperback_Writer: Oh you know, the regular shit. Knitting an afghan for my hard of hearing grandmother with belly button lint, taking my underwater basket weaving class down at the Y and after that I think I have to skip to my loo. What about you PL?_

_PennyLane84: I have to get to work and walk some dogs around a park, scooping up their feces for way too little money. Then I think I might force my roommates to eat some of my atrociously bad cooking._

_Paperback_Writer: Sounds thrilling. Too bad you can't cook for me, I'm absolutely horrible. Perhaps I should sign up for cooking classes at the Y after I'm done learning about underwater basket weaving._

_PennyLane84: Dog walking is not thrilling in the least, but it certainly beats working for the man, don't you think? As for the cooking, my roommates say it's good, but I tend to be a bit experimental. I think they are just being nice because I haven't killed them yet._

_Paperback_Writer: Ah death by casserole, what a way to go._

_PennyLane84: Speaking of going, if I don't sign off soon the Pug might walk himself. Have a great morning PBW. C U Soon._

With that final sign off, she was gone. Her name was no longer highlighted on my little messenger system and my heart stopped soaring for a moment. I tried to ignore the thoughts and feelings my online friend made come to life within me and grabbed my coffee and paper, opting to get comfortable on my couch to finish up the morning.

I flipped through the paper again and found the wedding notice for Jill Turner and Mike Smithson, who were one of the couples I would be photographing in a few weeks. I read their small article about their upcoming wedding, which was being held at the Central Park Boathouse and then finished up my drink. Grabbing my laptop from my desk, I logged into my work email and immediately started sorting through everything that was sent my way from the head office in Philadelphia.

This week's assignment was to work on funny yet sympathetic get well cards, which sounds just as moronic to me as it does to you. My boss, Eric Yorkie, was a bit of a hard ass about deadlines and today was Tuesday. Surely I could figure something out by Friday that would be deemed suitable for the masses. Every time I seemed to submit something to them, they came back gushing and it was generally something that had taken me a total of five minutes or a trip to the bathroom. I did my best thinking in the bathroom, but didn't most men? Sure working part-time from home on greeting cards was a great way to subsidize my income during the downtime the wedding season inevitably had, but it was boring as fuck. As I tapped my finger against the edge of my keyboard, my thoughts went to PennyLane84, not my job. Today was going to be a complete fucking waste of time.

**BPOV**

I woke up early. A little too early, for my liking anyway. After a failed attempt at going back to sleep, I decided to simply get up and brave the outside world.

I hopped out of bed and ran to the window. Great, it was cloudy and no doubt rain would be falling any moment now. What was this, Seattle? I let out a huff and dressed in the first things that I found on my floor, grabbing my raincoat as a precaution on the way out of the door of the four-bedroom brownstone that I shared with my two best friends, Rosalie and Alice.

We each had our own rooms in our unconventionally decorated place in Greenwich Village, with me using the fourth bedroom as an art studio. I used that room for pretty much anything, painting, sketching, whatever my creative flow commanded in one particular moment, really. Walking into that room, you would think you've stepped into a war zone, but that was exactly how I liked it and I was lucky if Alice or Rosalie ever stepped into that room again, after they'd seen the mess I left behind once we'd been here a few months.

Alice and I had known each other since high school, which we both attended in our home town of Forks, Washington. We graduated and headed to Princeton together, where we met Rose. Getting away from home and discovering the east coast had been the best experience in both of our lives. All three of us moved to New York City right after graduation and have lived together in chaotic harmony ever since.

Alice was now the owner a small consignment shop, which she appropriately dubbed 'Second Chances', where she sold only higher end vintage clothes. I had to admit, her job was definitely a perk of our friendship since she tended to bring home some of the most fabulous clothes that were dropped off. How she ever made a profit when she was bringing home vintage Chanel and Dior, I'll never know. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Rosalie worked as a manager in a local sex shop called 'Forbidden Fruits.' She had graduated with a degree in engineering and even though she would sometimes do contract work for various companies on the side, she loved working retail. I always thought she was glutton for punishment since she tended to cater to the creepers of NYC, but it was her choice.

I worked for myself, taking whatever opportunity my art brought to me, while I exercised my love for dogs by working as a dog walker. I had a select group of dogs that I walked through the streets of Manhattan, which usually meant around the NYU campus until we reached Washington Square Park, where they tended to converge with other dogs to sniff butts. Aro, was a huge German Shepherd whose owners were thrilled when I met them one day and they offered to pay me to walk their dog. That was how this whole business got started. Now I also walked Caius, a Doberman pinscher, Heidi, a terribly obnoxious Chihuahua and Shady, a slightly overweight Pug who I tended to walk more often than the others, just because he needed it.

This morning though, I found myself sprinting the three blocks from my apartment over to my favorite coffee shop called 'Common Grounds.' They had the best coffee, which was convenient for me since I was a complete caffeine addict. Just as I was finished straightening myself from my run to the shop, I noticed that Joshua Radin's 'Today' was playing on my iPod; I couldn't help but sing along with the lyrics. "But you are the oneeee I've been waiting for today, and here comes the sun, that's been baiting on toda-" I was interrupted by a gentle tap on the shoulder from the guy that was standing behind me.

"You're up," said the smooth, velvet voice of the person standing behind me. I turned my head towards him to apologize for not paying attention and was met with the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen in my entire life. Looking up slightly, because the top of my head just about reached his shoulders, I saw the most gorgeous emerald green eyes and gentlest smile on the most handsome face I'd ever seen on a man. All of his features fit his face perfectly, from his firm jaw line t the way his eyebrows scrunched together as he looked at me, to his nose that was so perfectly situated on his face that it looked like it had been made to fit there. Atop his head was a disheveled mess of auburn hair that practically called out for me to run my fingers through it, just to feel it. He was beautiful.

After a moment I realized that if I stared at him any longer, it would be obvious that I was gawking. "Sorry," I said with a gentle smile as I turned my head forwards again and stepped towards the counter, feeling like a complete, mute idiot and just praying that I wouldn't slip.

"Large café latte with extra foam please," I told the girl at the counter. I'd forgotten to say hello to Margaret, the girl behind the counter, seeing as I was a little bit flustered at seeing the gorgeous man behind me. I'd known her for as long as she'd been working at Common Grounds and in the past few months we'd become friendlier. She always found a way to tease me about my clothes, which I didn't blame her for, since I was used to other people teasing me about my clothes. Especially today, with my bright yellow rain slicker, knee-high striped socks and funky rain boots. I paid Margaret before she handed me my coffee, which I greedily accepted. I had a feeling I would need a steaming hot cup of joe today.

I fled the coffee shop as fast as I could, in an attempt to not be incapacitated once again by the dazzling specimen of a man that was standing behind me. Once I was outside, the rain that I had expected had finally started to fall so I kept up the pace of my fast walk, but as soon as I turned the corner onto my block, I realized that I should have kept a slower pace because I slipped on a wet piece of paper and the next thing I knew, my feet flew out from under me and I landed flat on my ass. I sat there for a moment, stunned and realizing that I'd fallen and immediately smiled when I saw that I'd managed to hold on to my coffee and not spill a single drop. _I'm a professional clumsy bitch_, I thought to myself with a laugh.

My ass was soaking wet, but I decided that a slow pace was a better alternative from here on out than falling again. When I finally reached my apartment door, I scurried inside and began stripping off my wet shorts and changing into a pair of my comfy polka dot boxer shorts. I headed over to my Mac, which is infinitely better and faster than the PC I'd owned for three years prior and saw Paperback_Writer was online.

I'd been chatting with Paperback_Writer for a few months, a friendship forming from our mutual love of The Beatles. We talked mostly every day, but unfortunately Alice and Rosalie had kept me from my computer last night and when I finally did manage to get online, he was nowhere to be found, which had been oddly disappointing. Seizing the opportunity, I decided to message him.

_PennyLane84: Morning Stranger._

A long and arduous minute later, he responded.

_Paperback_Writer: Morning yourself._

_PennyLane84: I didn't see you around last night, started to worry you got attacked by the parrot lady again. _

He frequently talked about the infamous Parrot Lady who he told me he saw nearly every morning in his daily routine. The other day he reported that she'd hit on him and he pretended that he didn't speak English and quickly ran away in order to get away from her.

_Paperback_Writer: Thankfully no, although I did see her this morning at my local coffee shop. I hid like a coward and prayed she found her own personal pirate… or walked off the plank, either option seemed good to me._

_PennyLane84: That's a shame, she sounded like a lovely woman, arrghh… (attempting pirate impression. Is it working?)_

_Paperback_Writer: Yeah, I tend to prefer my ladies with pets that don't molt. (No, not really. LOL) _

I actually giggled out loud at his comment.

_PennyLane84: No molting pets. Got it. Can you handle two crazy roommates? Thanks for crushing my ego btw._

_Paperback_Writer: Well if it helps at all, I am sure hidden behind your computer monitor I am certain you are a pretty woman. (Stroking the ego as best as I can) I don't do crazy roommates either. If I did, I'd still be living with my two best friends._

Hmm. Living with two best friends. Sounds familiar.

_PennyLane84: Apology accepted. Do you live alone?_

_Paperback_Writer: No. I have 87 cats actually. I'm the cat man of New York City._

_PennyLane84: See, we could never work in real life. I love dogs._

Speaking of dogs, I looked over at my clock and saw that I had ten minutes before I needed to go pick some of the little beasts up. As much as I loved my art, which was in fact my true passion, I had to admit that I enjoyed dog walking job just as much. I'd always had a love for animals, and so when I moved to New York and needed a steady (well, steady-ish) job, dog walking seemed ideal. I was wrong for two reasons; one was the fact that I had to deal with large monstrosities of dogs that walked me more than I walked them and two, the pay sucked. Although the fresh air that I was afforded every day in taking them out was also a bonus.

_Paperback_Writer: Whatever PL84. You don't have a pet, you just told me so. What makes you think you wouldn't like one of my cats?_

_PennyLane84: Allergies._

_Paperback_Writer: Look at that… the cats are gone. I have an allergy to raisins, or at least I tell people I do because I hate the texture._

_PennyLane84: And you think the parrot lady is weird?_

_Paperback_Writer: Make fun all you want. Didn't you previously mention an aversion to cereal?_

_PennyLane84: Not all cereal… just the shit that stays crunchy in milk. I mean, how do they do that? Isn't it supposed to go soft? I'm certain they smother the cereal in all sorts of additives and preservatives that will probably cause me to sprout a third limb. Although I suppose an extra arm would help me walk the dogs._

_Paperback_Writer: It always comes back to those damned dogs._

_PennyLane94: So what's on your agenda for the day?_

_Paperback_Writer: Oh you know, the regular shit. Knitting an afghan for my hard of hearing grandmother with belly button lint, taking my underwater basket weaving class down at the Y and after that I think I have to skip to my loo. What about you PL?_

_PennyLane84: I have to get to work and walk some dogs around a park, scooping up their feces for way too little money. Then I think I might force my roommates to eat some of my atrociously bad cooking._

_Paperback_Writer: Sounds thrilling. Too bad you can't cook for me, I'm absolutely horrible. Perhaps I should sign up for cooking classes at the Y after I'm done learning about underwater basket weaving._

_PennyLane84: Dog walking is not thrilling in the least, but it certainly beats working for the man, don't you think? As for the cooking, my roommates say it's good, but I tend to be a bit experimental. I think they are just being nice because I haven't killed them yet._

I glanced down at the clock on the corner of my screen and began cursing myself. Shit, I really needed to get moving.

_Paperback_Writer: Ah death by casserole, what a way to go._

_PennyLane84: Speaking of going, if I don't sign off soon the Pug might walk himself. Have a great morning PBW. C U Soon._

With that I signed off and put my rain jacket and rain boots back on, looking out the window to see that the rain had mostly stopped, but I still wasn't taking any chances.

**A/N: We're planning to post on a weekly basis, probably on Sunday nights, so be aware of that. Did you hate it? Love It? Already clamoring for a sequel LOL. Press the little green button and let us know your thoughts.**


	2. Day in the Life: Bella Swan

**A/N:**

**Coldplaywhore: What's this you say? CPW and FLB11 updated their story a whole four days early.**

**Flightlessbird11: Quit with the dramatics whore. Its grating on my nerves like all this damned reading I have for school.**

**Coldplaywhore: I would encourage you to drop out, but I am certain your crazy Italian family would go all mafia on me and I find myself sleeping with the fishes. I don't even like fish. **

**Flightlessbird11: What the crazy bitch means to say is, thanks to the fact that she is going away for the long weekend, CPW and I have decided to update the story a little early as a reward for the awesome response and reviews we recently received.**

**Coldplaywhore: Yeah… what she said.**

**Flightlessbird11: Chapter 3 is with our beta and if the reviews keep on coming we may update early again, but definitely not until next week when CPW is back from the cottage. Any questions?**

**Coldplaywhore: Yeah, since when did you become the voice of reason? You used to blush through google talk as we wrote lemons.**

**Flightlessbird11: Shut your pie hole. CPW and I don't own Twilight, but this chapter has been brought to you by the letter B, the number 7 and through a whole lot of hard work. ****Oh yeah… CPW has a blog where we will be offering teasers, the link in on your profile page so go check it out.**

B**POV**

_Ring… ring… ring._

I jolted upright at the sound of the phone ringing and I swung my entire body over to my nightstand where the telephone rested on its dock. My legs, still being tangled up in my sheets from a night of sleep, stopped my entire body from leaving the bed in one swift movement. Just as I grabbed the phone, my body hit the floor, my legs still on my bed.

"I hate you," I answered once I had pushed the talk button, still lying on the floor.

"Are you awake yet?" Alice's tiny voice squealed on the other end of the line. My forehead dropped to the floor. Alice had a tendency to call early in the morning after she'd already gotten to work at the shop.

"Yes, Al, I'm awake. I am not, however, vertical. What do you want?"

"I have a beautiful looking fedora in my hands that I thought you might like. Do you want me to put it aside for you and you can come by later and check it out?" she questioned as I cursed her; damn that woman knew I loved fedoras.

"Sure Alice. I can stop by once I'm done tending to the flea circus that is my job. Now please let me get up off the floor so I can go get a cup of coffee?" I stated as I began to wrestle with my sheets, trying to get them off of my body.

"What the hell are you doing on the floor?" she asked as I held back the urge to run my palm across my face. She killed me.

"What do you want when you call me at…" I looked up at my alarm clock and saw that it was nine o'clock. Yep, time for coffee alright, "…nine in the morning?" I finished.

"Whatever Bella. You're the best klutz I know. See ya later sweetie," she said genuinely as I finally pulled the sheets from around my body.

"Bye Al," I said as I laughed quietly, shaking my head as I hung up the phone.

I finally got up off of the floor and dragged my now sore body into the shower. I dressed in my blue and yellow plaid tank top, a pair of denim Bermuda shorts and of course, my trademark Birkenstocks. I threw on pretty much every leather bracelet I owned. Some had beads, some were braided, and others were just plain straps, but I loved them all the same. Perfectly mismatched and perfectly Bella in my humble opinion. I left my damp hair down and walked out of the house, heading over to Common Grounds, slinging my messenger bag over my shoulder.

The sun was shining warmly on my bare shoulders as I walked the three blocks over to the coffee shop. When I walked in, I took my spot in line behind several other people and waited to order my regular and waved to Margaret when she saw me.

Five arduous minutes later I was taking my turn at the front of the counter, I ordered my Large Café Latte with Extra Foam. "$4.50," Margaret said, just like she did every morning as I rummaged through my bag that rested on my hip and finally recovered my wallet from the abyss. I opened it and groaned as I looked down in shock, only finding some loose change. _Great._

"Um… better make it a Medium. What's that make it?" I asked, trying desperately not to leave empty handed and counting the change I had in my wallet.

"$3.75." _Okay, we were getting somewhere._ _I think._

"What about a small?"

"$3.00." _Man, I really had freaking expensive taste in coffee._

"Okay… what if I drop the extra foam, what's what make it?" I asked, seriously desperate now for any sort of caffeine to be coursing through my system.

"Less foamy" Margaret replied succinctly as she shrugged her shoulders and looked at me expectantly.

"Just a plain small coffee, please," I said. I began rummaging through my bag, looking for extra change, while holding my wallet in the other hand. Unfortunately, my wonderful balancing skills took over and my wallet, which now had all the loose change I could find resting on top of it, flew out of my hand, the sound of change clattering to the floor filled the coffee shop.

As I was frantically trying to pick up the money from the floor, with the help of Margaret, I glanced behind me, ready to apologize to the person who was waiting for their coffee, only to see none other than Hot Coffee Guy, as I had so appropriately dubbed him, standing two people behind me. We finished gathering all my change from the floor, counted it and I was thankful that I had enough to buy at least a small coffee. I quickly checked my watch and realized I was now ten minutes late to go pick up Aro, the giant German Shepherd.

"Today is off to a fanfuckingtastic start," I said sarcastically to no one in particular as I grabbed my coffee and turned around to leave the store. As I walked past Hot Coffee Guy, I distinctly heard a giggle escape his lips, no doubt laughing at the fact that I'd just scrambled on the floor looking for change to pay for my coffee with. I resisted the urge to tell him to go fuck himself, only because I was late enough already to go pick up the dogs. However, in my over active imagination I was envisioning several different forms of medieval torture as I cursed his pretty little head. _Jerk._

I walked out of Common Grounds and onto the New York City streets with my small regular coffee in hand. As I sipped from the cardboard cup, the hot liquid pouring down my throat, I realized that I was a little glad I ended up with just a plain old coffee for a change as it actually really was tasty. I finished the small cup just before I reached the home of Aro, which was conveniently located right near Washington Square Park, along with the homes of all the other dogs I walked. I threw my coffee cup into the garbage can outside their door, running up the steps and ringing the doorbell.

A small blonde woman answered the door. "Ah, good morning Bella. How are you today?" she asked with a small smile.

"Morning Jane. I'm good, how's our boy Aro doing today?" As if on cue, Aro came booming over to the front door. I crouched down onto my knees to pet his oversized head and he immediately began slobbering on my face. "Hey Aro! Ready for your walk boy?" I asked the playful dog. He licked my face again in response and I took that as a yes and Jane handed me his leash. "Tell Alec I said hello," I said to Jane, referring to her husband.

I had met Alec and Jane a few months ago when I was in the park sketching anything and everything that came to mind. They were interested in my art and their dog Aro took an instant liking to me. When Jane mentioned seeing me again in the park sometime, I immediately suggested the job of walking Aro to Jane and Alec. Apparently they were both extremely busy in their jobs teaching Italian studies at NYU and even though they loved Aro, they didn't think he got enough fresh air during the daytime and they accepted my offer. So here I was, holding onto the leash of the overactive German Shepherd and about to leave their house.

"Will do, Bella. Be a good puppy, Aro," she said as she closed the door behind me and Aro practically dragged me down the front stoop to the sidewalk below. I always laughed when she called Aro 'puppy,' considering he was about five years old.

"Come on boy, time to go get your buddies," I said to him, not feeling ridiculous like some people about talking aloud to animals; they were natural born listeners. After Aro and I picked up Caius, Heidi and Shady from their respective homes, we headed over to the park to officially begin our walk.

We walked into the park on the northern edge and passed by the Washing Square Arch and I found myself finally beginning to enjoy the warm spring weather. We walked around the pathways in the park, passing the playground where several children ran out to see the dogs, all of whom were just as excited to see the kids. The dogs seemed to enjoy the weather too as they were all walking a little more briskly than usual, pretty much dragging me behind with them. Even Shady the chubby little pug was pulling my sorry ass around.

Aro walked gracefully with his huge tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth the entire time, while Caius, a slightly older dog, walked almost with pride, his head always held high. Heidi definitely needed an attitude adjustment, because she was always jumping up to try and be head-to-head with the larger dogs, where she didn't belong, and Shady, well, he was definitely one of a kind. He mostly waddled due to his extra pounds, but he was one of the happiest dogs I'd ever seen. When our walk was eventually finished, I brought Aro back to his home first, leaving Shady till the end because I knew he could use the extra exercise.

Once I was free of all species of canine, I headed over to Second Chances to catch up with Alice and see the hat she'd held aside for me. I walked in and found Alice trying to convince one woman to buy a dress because it 'made her eyes look so much bigger.' I laughed to myself, because that was just so Alice to sweet talk her clients or anyone actually into seeing things her way. She should have been a lawyer. I waited for her to finish with her customer and browsed around the shop, checking out some of the new arrivals and drooling at a vintage Valentino cocktail dress that was for sale. Even with my close relationship with the owner, there was no way I could afford it. Alice eventually did manage to convince the woman to buy the dress that they were discussing and I couldn't help but feel proud. Alice was very good at what she does.

"Hey Bell!" she said as she bounced over to me, most likely happier that she'd successfully convinced someone to buy something flattering than she was about making a sale.

"Hey Al, where's my fedora?" I asked, anxious to see it. She rolled her eyes at me and then stepped behind the front counter to get it for me. I knew the only reason she even let me wear those hats was because they looked good on me or so she says. I just like them because Frank Sinatra was the man, in my humble opinion. I watched excitedly as she pulled out a gorgeous gray fedora, with silver ribbon trim and a small black feather tucked inside.

"Ohhh that is pretty," I said as I took the hat from her and placed it on my head, my finger running reverently along the brim.

"Bella, what the devil is all over your wrists?" she asked, grabbing my wrist and gesturing to my bracelets.

"They're cute," I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

"They're a monstrosity," she said as she narrowed her eyes at me and I did the same in response to her. We stared at each other for a few moments like we were about to pull out our six shooters and fight old west style over a fucking set of leather bracelets. We often had these silent wars over the bracelets, Alice pleading with her eyes, basically asking me to take them off for her own sanity and me responding non-verbally, 'back away or I will cut you.'

She eventually relented, like she always did because I was a stubborn jackass who could last much longer during these fights and reached for the mirror that was sitting on the counter behind her. She pushed it towards me on the counter and I checked out my reflection happily. "You look good," she said as I did a little turn and checked out the hat from a profile view.

"Hey, I do look pretty good, don't I?" I said as we both started laughing. "Have you talked to Rose? Do you know if she will be home for dinner?" I asked Alice as I started to stare at some of the jewelry Alice had in her front display case.

"Yeah, she'll be home," replied Alice as I watched her walk towards the back of the store and grab something from her storage room.

"Good, cause I'm cooking tonight," I said as I walked away from the counter.

"Oh thank god! I might die if I have to live on takeout for another night," said Alice as I left the shop and started walking down to the grocery store, since the ingredients for Fettuccini Alfredo weren't exactly lying around the house.

I walked into the store and quickly grabbed everything I could possibly need, including some stuff to make a salad. I always liked to make something I knew I couldn't fuck up in case the main dish didn't turn out so well. I was seriously tempted to open the bag of dried cranberries I had bought for the salad and munch on them as I waited to pay for my items, but resisted, knowing full well that I'd just have to get in line all over again because I would definitely eat the whole bag.

I walked back into the apartment half an hour later, grocery bags in hand; I laid everything on the counter for later. I headed upstairs to my studio and picked up my sketchbook and my trusty assortment of charcoal pencils, since I'd been in the park earlier and was inspired, which these days is something that happens very little. I remembered coming across a couple kissing in front of the fountain with the arch at the park in the background, while I was walking the dogs. It stuck in my memory as beautiful, different and intricate; it was begging to be put on paper.

When I was finished with my sketch, my hands now tinted in black and grey from my charcoals, I walked into the kitchen and saw that it was already five in the afternoon. I tended to lose track of time when I stepped within the confines of my studio.

I washed my hands thoroughly before I grabbed all of the ingredients from the grocery bags that were on the counter and immediately set to work Alfredo sauce. As I was doing that, Rosalie sauntered into the apartment. "What the hell are you cooking that smells so good?" she asked straight away.

"Well hello to you too missy. It's Fettuccini Alfredo," I told her cheerfully as braced myself for what I knew would come next.

"You're trying to kill me," she began. "No, you're just trying to turn me into a heifer," she said as she threw her arms up in the air in frustration. "You're just lucky I love you, Bella," she said as she walked out of the kitchen and into her bedroom, no doubt to change clothes. Since Rosalie worked at the local sex shop, Forbidden Fruits, she chose to wear next to nothing all day, whilst wearing heels. I knew she loved it because they said she could wear jeans and what not since she was the manager, but she always left here looking like sexy on a stick.

"How was your day of selling sex toys to horny people?" I asked when she walked back into the kitchen in a pair of jeans and a white tank top.

"There were a lot of horny assholes that came in today I swear just to hit on me. Oh and a cute little old couple that wanted to 'spice up their marriage.' It was so cute, I ended up selling them some massage oils and not much else since there's really nothing else that they could actually use. I tried to sell them a vibrator that sparkled in the sun, but they both cringed." she said with a laugh.

"That put images in my head that I really didn't need there, Rose. Speaking of who needs a vibrator that sparkles in the sun?" I asked curiously.

"It's this item that rips off some huge movie that came out last year. Apparently the male lead, a vampire, sparkles in the sun. I think they are just trying to win over all the MILF's and cougars who want to bone the actor who plays the lead. At least you didn't have to sell them the damn stuff," she said as we both started laughing again while I stirred the creamy sauce.

When it was finished I turned the stove off and took the pot off the heat so I could reheat it later. I grabbed two beers from the fridge and grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer and popped each bottle open, since it was already nearing five thirty. I handed one to Rosalie and she picked up the sketch that I had left on the living room couch where I had left it after I finished it earlier.

"Oh Bella, this is gorgeous," she said excitedly before taking a swig of her beer. "Did you see this?" she asked, as she motioned towards the image of the couple in my sketch. I had to hand it to Rose and Alice, even though they didn't understand the chaotic mess that was my studio or my wardrobe for that matter, they definitely got my art and it made me love them even more.

I nodded my head. "Yeah, during my walk with the dogs this morning I saw a scene just like it and the image got stuck in my head, so I sketched it when I got home," I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I know I say this every time I see one of your drawings, but it's true, you've got talent sugar."

"Thanks Rose." We sat on the couch for about half an hour with me listening to her stories about what had gone on in the sex shop that day and me telling her about my day in the park with the dogs and my unfortunate adventure trying to buy a cup of coffee this morning. Just after six, Alice walked into the apartment.

"Bella, you better have the food almost ready to go, because I'm fucking starving!" she said as she shuffled into the room.

"Yup, I just have to cook the fettuccine noodles and make the salad and then we're all good to go. I take it your question means I should start doing that now?" I asked as Alice looked at me as though I had just asked the stupidest question in the history of the world.

"Yes, yes… now get moving," she said as she shooed me into the kitchen with her hands. I put a pot of water onto the stove, adding a little bit of salt for flavor and took the lettuce from the fridge and began chopping.

Once the noodles were finished cooking and I had reheated the sauce, I put everything together and we all sat down at our kitchen table. Alice ravaged her plate like it was her last meal, while Rosalie and I watched in amazement at the sheer amount of food such a tiny woman could inhale. "Did you even chew?" asked Rosalie with a loud guffaw as I joined in. She was such a tiny little thing and yet she managed to eat like a horse without putting on a single pound.

"Yes, I chewed. I even swallowed."

"That's what she said," added Rosalie as I almost spit a dried cranberry out of my mouth from laughing so hard. Alice just groaned and narrowed her eyes at us before turning back to her plate.

As we were eating, a specific dinging sound came from my laptop, which was left open and sitting on the coffee table. That sound that could only mean one thing; he'd messaged me. My head snapped up at the noise, which was the first giveaway for Alice and Rose.

"Ohhh, that must be Bella's online fella," teased Alice as she lifted her plate up and began licking the leftover sauce from it.

"Shut up, Al. He's not 'my fella'," I replied somewhat angrily.

"Sure, you just spend every free moment you have talking to him on that thing," said Rose, choosing this moment to chime in and gesturing to my laptop.

"Whatever," I said as I looked down at my plate and smiled to myself. As soon as we were finished, the plates sitting in the sink, rinsed and getting ignored until later, I strolled over to my computer to see my message from PBW.

_Paperback_Writer: Is Cajun Chicken supposed to be black? I mean, I know it's supposed to be spicy and all, but black?_

_PennyLane84: Sorry about that PBW, I was feeding the two crazy roommates… they're still alive btw. Um… Cajun Chicken is most definitely NOT supposed to be black. What did you do?_

_Paperback_Writer: I'm trying to learn how to cook from the Food Network. I'm getting rather tired of Ramen and I guess I kind of killed it._

_PennyLane84: As long as by 'kind of' you mean 'definitely.' Why do you want to learn how to cook anyway?_

_Paperback_Writer: Because Giada de Laurentiis is hot. _

_Paperback_Writer: No actually I remember once when I was a kid my father learned how to cook for my mother. He loved Emeril and always wanted to shout 'BAM!' but ended up saying 'KABLAMO!' instead._

_PennyLane84: That sounds kinda nice actually. I hate Giada de Laurentiis, she talks to you like you're five 'don't touch the pan when it comes out of the oven because it's hot' No shit, Sherlock._

_Paperback_Writer: You know, I have noticed that but her food does rock. I actually met Duff from Ace of Cakes once and he was just as awesome in person as he is on the show. Even wore that god awful hockey jersey._

_PennyLane84: Sweet! Gotta love Duff._

_Paperback_Writer: So how was your day PL?_

_PennyLane84: Typical. Walked the dogs… they walked me a little too, came home, cooked dinner. I'm a regular housewife minus the wife part LOL. How 'bout you PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: Worked for the man, burned some chicken, the usual. Watching 'The Big Bang Theory' now._

_PennyLane84: God, I love Sheldon, he's fucking hilarious. He could teach you a thing or two about culinary science, you know, like in which order to put the cold cuts on your sandwich._

_Paperback_Writer: Shut up, PL. I can actually make a sandwich. That episode was hilarious btw, with the time machine._

_PennyLane84: Yeah, it was. I also love how Raj can't talk to Penny unless he's drunk. Classic._

_Paperback_Writer: I remember the episode where he gets a big promotion and takes her out on a date and says 'ridonkulous' _

_PennyLane84: Priceless. I still think it was funny how he couldn't even talk to the girl; we're not all that scary._

_Paperback_Writer: One of my best friends had that problem in high school. Now the girls just flock towards him. He has a gift._

_PennyLane84: Aw come on PBW, I'm sure there's a handsome face behind that computer screen. Just ask Shady, the overweight Pug. He waddles everywhere but he's happy as a clam._

_Paperback_Writer: An overweight Pug? What other characters do you walk around the city PL?_

_PennyLane84: An overly friendly German Shepherd named Aro, whose owners started me on the whole dog walking excursion. Caius, an old Doberman who thinks he's a person and a bitchy Chihuahua named Heidi who's always trying to bump heads with the big dogs._

_Paperback_Writer: Interesting bunch you've got there._

_PennyLane84: Yep. Shady is a former Best in Show Champion, but unfortunately he let the Milkbones go to his hips. Oh, and Caius is afraid of the red fire hydrants._

_Paperback_Writer: Sounds like you've got your hands full. Speaking of which, I should be going. The greeting cards don't write themselves and I need to throw this chicken away because it is definitely not fit for human consumption. See ya around PL._

_PennyLane84: See ya._

Then his name was gone from my contacts list. I smiled to myself and shut the laptop and strolled over to the couch where Alice and Rose were watching some reality show on VH1 called 'Rock of Love'. I hated reality TV. Well, I did like to make fun of the people who went on all the shows, but that was it.

I plopped myself on the couch in between Alice and Rose. "Somebody's got it bad," commented Rosalie.

"What are you talking about now?" I inquired, knowing what they were about to start. _Again._

"Come on, Bella. You're smiling like a fucking fool, a full on shit-eating grin. Don't tell me that's not because of your online fella," chimed in Alice. Yep, tonight was going to be one of the worst of their teasing escapades yet.

"Whatever guys. He's not my fella, we just happen to share a love for an extremely talented rock band that defined a generation," I stated firmly, crossing my arms over my chest with confidence.

"Right," Rose began. "I'm sure you guys talk for hours every god damned day about The Beatles. Because that doesn't leave anything to be desired." I narrowed my eyes at her for insulting my Beatles.

"Well that's not _all_ we talk about, but it's nothing of consequence and you know it. Why do you think I've never met him before? I'm not interested in him like that. In fact I'm not interested in _that_ period!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air in frustration, feeling a bit like a teenager arguing with her parents.

"She does have a point there Rose," said Alice and I looked at her in shock for agreeing with me. "If anyone here isn't interested in finding a man, it's Bella."

"Exactly. Men suck. Love sucks," I said finally.

"You're such a cynic Bella," said Rose as I got up from the couch and went to my room to change into my pajamas since we obviously weren't going out or anything tonight. I was a little frustrated at the word Rosalie had used to describe me. Cynic.

So what if I was the only one who knew that love never worked out in the end? I'd witnessed it firsthand when I watched my parents' marriage fall apart when I was a teenager. I remember it starting when I was fourteen. I mean, they had always fought before that, just like any other married couple, but that's when it started to get bad. They finally got their divorce finalized when I was seventeen. They dragged it out for three long years in an attempt to benefit my childhood and me, but neither of them knew that watching their love die a slow and painful death was the one thing about that time in my life that defined my future.

Watching their marriage fall apart showed me that no matter how hard two people work to make love work, it's just impossible for that to happen. It's too painful.

I threw on my favorite polka dotted boxer shorts and an old t-shirt and walked back into the living room to the two people whose love was the only kind I would ever be able to count on.

**A/N: Now press that little green button… I know you want to. Reviews mean faster updates and the next chapter is all EPOV! Who's excited?**


	3. Day in the Life: Edward Cullen

**A/N: We're back… a day early too! I know we planned to do Sunday updates but coldplaywhore was desperate to get this one out to all the lovely readers who were eager for an EPOV. Outfits for this chapter are posted on our profiles for your review. I know you folks like that stuff and we honestly just love playing on polyvore. LOL**

**Other news… come play with us on twitter coldplaywhore and flightlssbird11. We're fun, we swear. Ask kikikinz and ARenee363! That's it… go read.**

**We don't own twilight; we do have a fairly unhealthy coffee addiction.**

**EPOV**

Today was just like any other fucking Wednesday, except my alarm clock didn't go off on time, so I was late and I was never late. Especially for coffee in the mornings. I had been trying for the past two weeks to muster up the courage to talk to 'Sexy Coffee Girl' as I had nicknamed her, but never managed to do it. Once she had been talking on her cell phone, which by the way looked like she had it since 1987. It was one of those old school bricks that probably took up her entire purse and weighed at least five pounds, but she seemed more than content with it.

Another time I considered talking to her since she was right in front of me, but then some jackass dropped coffee on me as I turned to face her and I hit him with my newspaper accidently. I couldn't help but smile awkwardly and shrug my shoulders as she giggled and watched me try to clean off my crotch with dozens of napkins. That was as far as I had gotten with interacting with her since the first day I saw her and I reminded her about her coffee order; a shrug and a smile. _Fuck my life._

Last night, after watching Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, I had determined that I would talk to her today. I had decided that I would even wait around Common Grounds like a stalker so that I could talk to her and I spent way too much time deciding how to approach her. I thought a good way to break the ice would be to comment about the weather, but that was fucking lame, even for me. I asked for Emmett's advice and he suggested using a pick up line, but I didn't want her to think I was pathetic even if I was. It didn't help that Emmett's suggestion was to just say to her 'Let's bypass all the bullshit and fuck.'

However, waking up fifteen minutes late probably meant I wasn't going to see her and I was cursing myself loudly for being such a heavy sleeper. I tossed on a grey t-shirt and some dark blue shorts, with my trusty sandals before grabbing my keys and wallet off the kitchen counter. As I stepped out the door, I grabbed my newspaper from in front of my door and padded off to the coffee shop, hoping like hell that she would be there. While I crossed the street, I noticed her small frame dressed in a short denim skirt and a dark blue t-shirt walking in the opposite direction of the shop. She had already been; damn it.

I closed my eyes and continued on into the shop as Margaret greeted me with a wide smile. "Morning Edward," she said sweetly as I nodded at her in acknowledgement. There was no line as I headed straight to the counter. "Your regular?"

"Yes, please," I replied as I looked around the shop, making sure for a fact that she wasn't here.

"She left already," said Margaret as she took my five dollar bill and I looked at her incredulously. "I'm not blind Edward. You've been drooling over that girl since you saw her in here a few weeks ago looking like a fashion reject off a fishing boat. She's a nice girl."

"Um, thanks. Is it really that obvious?" I replied anxiously as I accepted the muffin and moved to the side to await my usual espresso macchiato. If Margaret had noticed did that mean that Sexy Coffee Girl had noticed that I had been ogling her as well? God, I hoped not. I know I felt like a stalker some days but I would never get anywhere with her if_ she_ thought I was one.

"Yeah, it's a bit obvious, but if it helps I think she's oblivious to it. She seems unaware of most things actually," laughed Margaret as I laughed and nodded my head and accepted my coffee before stepping back out of the shop and across the street to my apartment. I took one last glance down the street to see if she was still around. No luck.

The moment I walked into my apartment, I could see the answering machine flashing that I had missed a call. _Lovely, I'm gone for twenty minutes and miss a call_, I thought sarcastically as I threw the paper down on the counter and went to listen to the message, which turned out to be from a couple that was interesting in hiring my services for their wedding next year. I scrawled down their information and kept it on a Post-It note in front of my computer. I would need to call them back a little bit later in the morning, but first I wanted to enjoy my coffee and paper before I had to catch up on some other work involving a sappy greeting card that was looming over me, just waiting to be written.

I grabbed the paper from the counter and moved to the couch along with my coffee. I tossed my flip-flops off and propped my feet up casually on the coffee table as I skipped over the Business and News sections, heading right for Sports and Life instead. I checked out the box scores for the baseball games that were played the night before and reviewed some general player stats as I happily sipped my coffee. It may not have been very exciting to most people, but my morning coffee while reading the paper was something that I looked forward to each day.

As I switched to the Life section of the paper, I couldn't help but think back to my conversation with Margaret at the coffee shop. She has said that Sexy Coffee Girl was clearly oblivious to my attraction to her, but what if that wasn't the case? What if she was more perceptive than we gave her credit for and she simply started coming in a bit earlier to avoid me? What if she ended up switching to some Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts just to steer clear of my stalker tendencies? I again decided to try to wake up earlier the next morning and speak to her. I was tired of doing nothing and didn't want to let her slip through my fingers.

As I finished my coffee and newspaper and I tossed them in the recycling bin in the kitchen before I stepped reluctantly into my darkroom and quickly turned on the light. When I first started looking for apartments a few months ago, one of my primary requirements was either a second bedroom or another small room I could convert into a darkroom. The moment I walked into what is my current home, I knew it was perfect. Sure, it had an awesome kitchen, great views and a master bedroom that was open to the massive living room below, but those weren't the selling points to me. My favorite aspect of the entire apartment was the small den on the first floor that was easily converted into a darkroom with a bit of elbow grease and a little cash. It wasn't ideal, but it worked perfectly for me and my burgeoning wedding photography business.

Sure, in today's business most people used digital cameras and I was one of those people, but sometimes I just had to pull out my old school camera and use actual rolls of film. I loved the idea of developing a picture; it was like seeing it come to life. Having someone actually request that I use film was a little different, but it had happened with Ben and Angela Cheney, a couple I had taken wedding photos of back in early April. They had gotten married down at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers and wanted everything to be very old fashioned. It had been a beautiful ceremony and reception, where I managed to get two phone numbers from some very eligible and sexy looking female guests, neither of whom I called because I kept getting distracted by the online conversations with PennyLane84 I kept having.

I was determined to make up for the fact that my evenings were no longer filled with developing in my darkroom, but rather chatting with PennyLane84, by immersing myself for the next few hours in the confines of my small room working on the photos for Ben and Angela. I pulled open my film drying cabinet, which basically looked like a large locker and pulled out the strips I had developed already and immediately set to developing some proofs to show them later in the week when we were scheduled to meet at their apartment.

Three hours later, I stumbled out of the room feeling exhilarated for having finished what I started, but isolated because I hadn't talked to anyone but Margaret at Common Grounds today. As I walked over to my desk to call back a woman named Jessica, who had left a message this morning to hire me for her upcoming wedding, my phone rang.

"Edward Cullen," I answered professionally, only to be greeted by the obnoxious voice of one of my best friends, Emmett McCarty.

"Hey dude, you are coming out with me and Jazz tonight," he stated, not even giving me an option.

"No thanks," I stated in confusion, without even thinking. _Why the fuck didn't I want to go out with them?_

"Why not? You haven't even heard where we are going, dipshit. Ever since you moved into that apartment, Jazz and I have hardly seen you. Do you have some pretty little thing on the side you aren't telling us about?" he asked curiously as I groaned loudly at his assumption, which was way off, sadly. Shouldn't I want to go out with my two best friends and try to meet someone?

"No man, no girlfriend. I've just been busy with work and really don't feel like going out tonight," I said as I sat down in my desk chair and began twirling my pen aimlessly around on the desktop. I really just wanted Emmett to drop the subject, which knowing him, wasn't very likely.

"We're going to the Brass Monkey, I know you want to go… all those imported beers are calling your name, Edward," he said slyly as though the mere mention of a fancy German brew would make me change my mind. "It's ladies night."

"Fuck, fine. I'll go but I am not going to be your wingman. I'm going for the beer and to see you two assholes, so don't ditch me to go chase down some chick with fake boobs whose name you won't remember five seconds after you pull out," I chastised angrily, knowing full well how Emmett usually worked. I wouldn't be surprised if he had fucked the same girl twice on two different occasions and didn't even know it.

"We can't all be hopeless romantics who jerk off thirty times a day because they refuse to go out with anyone," snapped Emmett with a laugh as I growled into the phone. He and Jazz liked to poke fun at the fact that I was not interested in a quick fuck and that I wanted something a little more substantial in my next relationship. He claimed I was a romantic, which was probably true, but if you grew up with my parents, who were going on thirty years of being happily married then you would want more too. I'm not ashamed to admit that I want what they have.

"I'm not looking for a one night stand Em. One day you'll be in my shoes, wanting something more than a body to warm your bed for a few hours and it won't be so funny anymore," I explained to him as I heard him laugh on the other end of the phone.

"Whatever dude. I just think you need to touch something other than some film or yourself for once. Meet me and Jazz on the roof at the Monkey around eight. Don't be late," he finished as he quickly hung up the phone and I cursed myself for agreeing to go with him, especially since I hadn't done laundry in over a week and I was currently sporting my last pair of clean boxers.

I ran upstairs and grabbed some clothes off of the floor, smelling a few shirts to check if they were actually clean before deciding to just wash everything that wasn't currently on my body or in my closet. I brought it all downstairs, quickly sorting it into three loads and cursed my luck for being so busy today. I spent the rest of my day making lunch, contacting clients and emailing with my boss Eric about upcoming projects that were due. By the time seven o'clock rolled around I was ready to drink a keg of beer, not just a pint.

"Holy shit, if it isn't the Invisible Man," joked Jasper as I wandered towards the table that they were sitting at, which overlooked the Hudson. "I had no idea you even knew where this place was."

"Hardy har-har," I replied with a groan as I raised my hand and motioned for the waitress to come over to our table as I jumped up and sat on one of the high stools beside them. "Just because I'm a busy man, doesn't mean I don't appreciate a night out."

"Then why haven't you wanted to come out with us lately? Have a girlfriend we don't know about?" he asked as I glanced over at Emmett who had asked that question just hours earlier and quirked my eyebrow.

"No girlfriend. Do I have to get this written on a t-shirt? I. Am. Single." I said in an exasperated tone.

"Good to know. There are hundreds of girls here who would love to get your number," said the waitress as she joined us at the table and looked at me patiently. "What did you want to drink, single guy?"

"Umm… can I get a pint of the Sam Adams Summer Ale?" I asked with a raise eyebrow as she nodded her head.

"Refills for you boys?" she asked Jasper and Emmett who both shook their heads in the negative before walking away, Emmett's eyes glued to her ass as she went.

In time with the waitress leaving, a tiny little redhead walked over to our table with two of her friends who were giggling behind her. "Excuse me, are you Emmett McCarty?" she asked kindly as Emmett smirked. _Oh great, here we go again._

It doesn't happen all that often, but every now and again, Emmett gets recognized. While I toil away taking photos and churning out greeting card copy, Emmett fancies himself a bit of an actor. I try to be as supportive as possible, but truly, he's not that great of one, although I would never tell him that. He had one major role on a daytime soap opera playing a cross dressing football player who had a severe case of amnesia and still gets recognized all the time for it. That was four years ago.

"Yes, yes I am. Would you like an autograph?" Emmett asked confidently as he suddenly whipped out his signature sexy grin and looked at the three girls as though they were his for the taking.

"Sure," said the redhead as she suddenly pulled down the top of her shirt and one of her friends handed him a pen. He signed his name slowly while greedily staring down her shirt and then she grabbed his hand and wrote down her number on his arm. She blew him a kiss as she walked away, her two friends still giggling behind her.

"That shit gets old fast," said Jasper as I nodded in agreement with him.

"I'm sorry if you guys can't handle the fact that the ladies think I am awesome," boasted Emmett as our waitress came back with my beer and I greedily started to drink it down, motioning for another next time she came around. Thankfully if I managed to get drunk I could just walk away and pass out in my old room at Em and Jasper's place a few blocks away. Then again, if I got that drunk I wouldn't see Penny tonight, so perhaps I should take it easy, I thought to myself with a small smile. Sitting in a bar, drinking beer with my friends and surrounded by single women, I was still looking forward to talking with her online.

"The ladies only think you are awesome until you sneak out of their room at three in the morning, leaving behind no trace that you were ever there in the first place. Don't you ever get tired of being such a man whore?" asked Jasper curiously as a few of the women at nearby tables turned around to see who he was talking about.

"Nope," said Emmett as he popped the 'P' and took a big gulp of his beer. "What has two thumbs and likes pussy?" asked Emmett as he paused for a moment and waited for one of us to say something, which we didn't. "This guy," said Emmett with a laugh as he used his thumbs to point to himself. I couldn't help but laugh at his sheer stupidity.

"You're an ass."

"Who am I to deny the lovely ladies of New York City all that is Emmett Motherfucking McCarty?" I ran my hands through my hair in frustration at his obnoxiousness and Emmett looked at me with one eye raised in curiosity.

"What now?" I asked in reply as he pointed around my face in some weird motion.

"You know, with that hair, you kinda look like Satan," he said with a loud laugh. "It's like sticking out so it makes you look like you have horns dude," Emmett added as he reached out to touch my hair and I angrily swatted his hand away. "You looking so pissed off just helps the imagery."

"Great, so the women here tonight think you're a whore, I'm Satan… and what does that make Jasper over here?" I asked as Jasper started to stroke his imaginary beard.

"I'm clearly the brains behind the operation and if you two dipshits don't shut up, we're all going home together and I hate to spoon with you because you snore," he said towards Emmett as I threw in one more laugh and finished off my beer.

"You're the brains my ass. Anyways, we can't stay out too late tonight or get too drunk. I gotta get up early for a commercial audition tomorrow and I got to look good. I'm supposed to be playing a 19-year-old," said Emmett as Jasper and I both coughed up our drinks and looked at him in surprise.

"So when you said, 'get up early,' did you mean 2003?" Jasper said with a laugh as I started laughing uncontrollably and a few nearby patrons looked at us in disgust.

"I can play a 19-year-old," stated Emmett confidently as Jasper and I continued laughing at his expense. "With these dimples, I can definitely be nineteen."

"Oh, okay man," I said with a grin. "You're nineteen and I'm Hugh Fucking Hefner."

The rest of the night went along smoothly. We talked, we chatted up a few ladies and we all got a couple of phone numbers. I, however, tossed them all in the trash before leaving the bar and taking a cab back to my apartment. When I got home, I pulled off my button down shirt and then yanked my t-shirt over my head. I turned on my computer before I ran up the stairs to my bedroom and finished undressing.

When I flopped back down in front of the computer in my boxer shorts and a loose white t-shirt, she was already there.

_PennyLane84: Hello? Anybody home? _

_PennyLane84: Hello… McFly?_

_Paperback_Writer: Hey, sorry… I was away from the computer for a moment. I had to get dressed._

_PennyLane84: No worries mate. (pretend I have an Aussie accent) Wait, you were naked?_

_Paperback_Writer: You do realize accents don't translate well over the internet right? And no, I wasn't naked. I was at a bar with some friends and got changed into something else._

As I waited for Penny to reply, I made a quick run to the fridge and grabbed a Summer Ale before getting myself comfortable at my desk chair again. Personally, I kind of wanted to continue along with the conversation about being naked since it had been almost two months since the last time I had sex with someone other than my hand.

_PennyLane84: Yeah, but it's funnier to think I have a crazy accent instead of a cock shriveling voice like that chick from the Nanny._

_Paperback_Writer: You have THAT voice? No wonder we don't talk on the phone. LOL_

Her response was almost instantaneous.

_PennyLane84: You wanted to talk on the phone?_

Well shit, I was kidding and suddenly it seems like she is asking me to move to the next step. I am not ready for that next step. I am three sheets to the wind and still drinking, so I am definitely not ready for talking to her.

_Paperback_Writer: I was kidding. Anyways, I sound like one of the chipmunks, so it wouldn't do much for you._

_PennyLane84: Oh contraire mon frère. I always found Simon to be exceedingly attractive. I think it's the combination of brains and raw sex appeal that made me love him._

_Paperback_Writer: I bet you loved Brainy Smurf too huh?_

_PennyLane84: Are you going to sit over there and claim you didn't have a thing for Smurfette? Every hot-blooded American boy wanted to nail that blue midget. Do you think they had group sex with her? I mean, there weren't many other gals to choose from._

I choked slightly on my beer and ran my fingers slowly over the keyboard, unsure of how to respond to her. One minute we were discussing talking on the phone and now she is implying that Smurfette got ridden more than Splash Mountain at Disneyworld. Exactly what does one say to that?

_Paperback_Writer: Nope. Not a fan._

_PennyLane84: Well shit, don't tell me you were hot for Brainy and you bat for the other team. I think it would seriously crush me._

_Paperback_Writer: Ha ha ha… no I wasn't a fan of Brainy either. I'm more of a Judy Jetson kind of guy. At least she looked like a girl and wasn't three apples high._

_PennyLane84: Well you got me there PBW._

_Paperback_Writer: I could tell you I also had a thing for Rosie, but I'd be lying like a cheap rug. Although looking back on it, Jane Jetson truly was the quintessential MILF._

_PennyLane84: Have you been drinking PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: Just a scooch. How can you tell? I type perfectly._

_PennyLane84: Well, first of all you type slower, so you are probably double checking it to make it seem like you haven't been drinking. Secondly, you don't change the subject when I bring up sex. You usually change the subject._

_Paperback_Writer: Well, I promise to continue discussing sex with you whenever you want Penny._

I leaned back in my chair and took another huge drink of my beer. As I waited for her to respond, I stepped around the apartment and made sure everything was locked and turned off, before I sat back down in my dark apartment, the only light coming from my monitor.

_PennyLane84: So um… what are you drinking?_

_Paperback_Writer: Beer. I went out with my former roommates and best friends tonight for a few rounds. Came home alone and got online, with my friend Sam Adams Summer Ale._

_PennyLane84: I'm sorry you came home alone._

_Paperback_Writer: I'm sorry you weren't at the bar._

_PennyLane84: Sweet words from the drunken man._

_Paperback_Writer: True words from the stone sober woman._

_PennyLane84: You should go to bed Paperbag Drunkie_

_Paperback_Writer: Coming with me?_

I think I heard crickets chirping in the background. How the fuck could I be so bold with her? Maybe it was because I was a chicken shit and didn't try to pick up anyone but the faceless woman, who I'd like to think I was getting to know pretty well. I sat in my chair, pinching the bridge of my nose as I tried to think of a way to salvage my chat disaster.

_PennyLane84: Maybe another time._

_Paperback_Writer: If that's the case, I hope to god you own a webcam._

_PennyLane84: Goodnight Boozie McGee._

_Paperback_Writer: 'night Penny._

**A/N: Okay… pimping the Esme Contest again folks. Coldplaywhore and kikikinz are hosting it and we have had a lot of interest from some great and some new authors, so join the bunch. Swing on by coldplaywhore's profile to find a link to more information. Any questions? No.. good. Let's all help Esme get humped.**


	4. I've Got a Feeling

**A/N: See… it's Sunday and we promised an update. We deliver the goods don't we? Some of you might be a bit pissed that we feature a repeat of their morning encounter for a bit in both POV's, but this is the last time. We Swear. Hell, next chapter they even spend actual time together… can you believe that shit?**

**Onto the other crap… there are pictures of their outfits on our respective profiles. We are also working on another collaboration for ninapolitan's DILF contest, which CPW already entered once.**

**Speaking of contests… CPW and kikikinz (aka beaker) are running an Esme Erotic Ecstasy Contest. The link is on my profile. They already have three submittals and some awesome authors are confirmed to be entering, so enter… or read and vote. Either way, help support the Esme Love.**

**Any questions? No… good. You can find us on twitter, and on CPW's blog, she will be offering up MIFFY Teasers.**

**We don't own Twilight, although we do fear huge cell phone bills after CPW called FLB11 from the Joshua Radin and Kings of Leon concerts this week. (CPW: I hugged Joshua Radin and got an autograph and picture with our fuckawesome beta MaggieMay14. I'm still giddy)**

**EPOV**

I rolled over and awkwardly smacked my alarm clock as it buzzed at seven thirty in the morning. I work from my damned apartment, why on earth am I getting up at seven thirty? Oh right, Eric my boss scheduled a conference call to brainstorm ideas with all the members of the writing staff at nine in the morning. Eric is a dipshit.

My head ached like crazy from the beers I had drunk the night before with Jasper and Emmett. It didn't help matters that when I got home I drank another beer while chatting online with Penny. Although now that I looked back on it, I would call it more 'flirting' than 'chatting'. I vaguely recall suggesting cybersex with her before she logged off and I ran upstairs and beat off like a mad man before eventually passing out.

I sat up and rested my head against my headboard as I ran my fingers through my hair anxiously. What the hell was I doing? I had been given two phone numbers from very eligible ladies at Brass Monkey last night, but here I sit daydreaming over the faceless girl I've been chatting with online for a few weeks. Even for me this was kind of pathetic. I had sworn off dating fake girls in lieu of dating my computer? Jesus fuck. I think I need therapy.

I awkwardly hopped out of my bed and sleepily ambled over to the bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the steam fill the room before eventually getting in. I took my time going through my morning routine and when I got out of the shower, I found myself rushing around to get dressed in an effort to actually make it to the coffee shop before Sexy Coffee Girl. I decided that I would lounge around the café until 8:45, at which time I needed to run back to my apartment and dial in for that hideous conference call that I was dreading like the plague.

I tossed on a black t-shirt from my closet and a pair of khaki shorts that I had cleaned the day before. I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my paper from the floor in front of my place as I ran out the door, eager to see if I could actually talk to Sexy Coffee Girl today or fail miserably like I had been doing for the past month. As I waited at the crosswalk for the insane traffic to pass, I noticed her walking into Common Grounds in a white tank top, black and white check hat and a pair of sweat pants. Not exactly haute couture, but fuck me she looked gorgeous with her long brown hair cascading down her back.

When I walked into Common Grounds, there was an unusually long line and SCG was right in front of me staring at a small piece of paper and mumbling incoherently. I opened my mouth to say something witty or smart to her but was shocked when she turned around and began speaking to me instead.

"I don't know what anything means anymore. I mean, I can't even read my best friend's handwriting. What does this say?" she asked as she held the small scrap of paper in front of my face. "The person who wrote this should be dressed in a clown suit stuffing bodies under their porch."

"Umm… I think the note says 'Large Espresso Americano and three oatmeal raisin cookies,'" I muttered quietly to her as I handed back the piece of paper and she looked at me intensely with her wide brown eyes. Whoever said that eyes were the window to the soul had probably met this girl in another life. I don't think I had ever seen a pair of more expressive eyes, ever.

"Thanks. You're a life saver. I was tempted to get her a Large Chai Latte and some chocolate chip muffins. I think my roommate would probably hack my arm off making my life as an artist a little less possible. Although I guess if the guy in Def Leppard can drum with one arm, I can surely paint right?" she asked quickly, catching me off guard. I let out a little laugh as we moved ahead one spot in line and she looked at me expectantly, awaiting my response. I wasn't that surprised when she announced that she was an artist. She seemed to be such a random and eclectic person that it fit her personality just right.

"Sure. You can paint with one hand but you can always use your mouth right?"

"You have a dirty mind coffee boy," she said with a loud guffaw that made most of the people turn around and look at us.

"I meant with the paintbrush. Can't you hold it between your lips and paint that way?" I asked nervously as I reached my hand to the back of my neck and rubbed it haphazardly. She was making me nervous with her quick witted comebacks and the fact that yet again I could see her black bra through her white tank top. I was tempted to ask if she was color blind since this was the second time she had done it, but then again, I would be calling myself out for staring at her tits and I didn't need that. "So… you went to Princeton?" I asked as I pointed at her pants trying to get my mind onto anything but her perky tits.

"Nope. Stole the pants off a freshman when I did a campus tour a few years back. Beat the shit out of him real good too," she said coolly as I raised my eye brows in surprise at her. "Fuck you're easy to mess with. Yes, I went to Princeton. What about you? Did you steal sweat pants from your alma mater?"

"No. I did buy a lovely Boston College sweatshirt from the bookstore during frosh week that I still have, even though there are holes at the wrist," I said all too easily as we moved ahead another spot and I noticed it was almost her turn to be served. Shit.

"Most of my clothes have holes at the wrist or the underarm. I even have a few pairs of pants with holes at the crotch, but those are always the most comfortable, so even though my roommate tries to make me throw them out, I still have them. I'm talking too much aren't I? Sometimes when I'm nervous I get way too chatty. I'm ten times worse with caffeine in my system." I watched anxiously as she let out a deep breath and I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips.

"Do I make you nervous?" I asked curiously as she suddenly turned her head around when Margaret asked for the next person in line. Sexy Coffee Girl explained her regular order to Margaret and then held out the small piece of paper for my inspection again.

"Large Espresso Americano and three oatmeal raisin cookies," I said sweetly as Margaret winked at me before ringing in the order and collecting the money from her. As Sexy Coffee Girl accepted her cookies from Margaret, she moved to the side to await her two coffees and I placed my usual order with a slightly smug grin. Once I was finished paying, I was a little disappointed to see SCG walking away.

"Thanks," she called out as she held the coffees over her head and I replied with a muffled 'you're welcome' that was heard by no one. When I finally accepted my coffee, I looked down at my watch and noticed it was almost quarter to nine, so I grabbed my drink and my muffin and ran back to my apartment, dreading the conference call I had to endure for god knows how long.

I logged onto my computer shortly after I walked through the door and reluctantly tossed my paper aside, a little frustrated that I wasn't going to get a chance to read it as I enjoyed my coffee. I opened up my email first to pull up the instructions Eric had sent me about logging into the conference call remotely and sipped on my coffee, reminiscing about the mistakes I had just made moments ago with Sexy Coffee Girl.

Why the hell didn't I introduce myself? Would it have been so hard to say 'Hi my name is Edward Cullen, and I would love to wake up beside you every morning for the rest of my life?' Okay, so that would be a little bold and no doubt scare the shit out of her, but I could have at least said my name and asked for hers. Every time I was around her it was like all my coherent thoughts flew out the damned window. I mean, who talks about old hole covered clothes? I had the romantic capabilities of Urkel for fucks sake.

"Is anyone there?" I heard Eric's voice announce as I took my speaker phone off of mute and listened to a few other off site employees speak up. "Sally, I don't think this thing is working," he added as I heard him tapping on the receiver like a complete fucking moron.

"I'm here," I said reluctantly as I took a sip of my coffee and pulled up my chat account, noticing that Penny wasn't online. This was probably a good thing because I didn't need to her to distract me as I tried to get through this meeting. A few other people who were connecting remotely also piped up that they were on and Eric proceeded to start.

"Okay, well it looks like everyone is here, so let's start shall we?" said Eric as I pressed mute on my phone again and quietly cursed him for being such an idiot. Eric spent the next half hour talking about upcoming campaigns. It seems the company was trying to make a push for new material for next year's Valentine's cards and they were going to implement a contest with cash prizes as incentive for more good text for their cards. I closed my eyes and shook my head slowly, realizing that things had to be shitty at the office for the powers that be to be running a contest. I thought the income and security our jobs provided us was incentive enough to get our work done.

As usual, Eric was a pompous ass and informed us, on the down low of course, that there was talk that the company was going to be bought by Hallmark in the near future but that we shouldn't anticipate any layoffs or downsizing. Eric had no reason to be telling us all of this stuff since he wasn't a manager or vice-president; he was just our asshole of a supervisor who had half hearted dreams of grandeur that would never come to fruition. It was probably wrong of me to hope that he was the first to lose his job if Hallmark did swallow us whole in some sort of merger.

Much to my relief, the conference call from hell ended just before eleven and I looked down at the grocery list I had written while pretending to listen to Eric speak and realized I should focus on getting some food into the house before I did anything else for the day. I grabbed my wallet and my list and headed down the stairs of my apartment, deciding that it was such a nice day I would enjoy a walk through Washington Square Park before heading over to Whole Foods to spend way too much on my groceries.

Every time I went in there I got suckered at the cheese counter and always came home with some of the most delicious but expensive cheeses there were. I think the girl who worked there had a little crush on me, which was why she had me taste test so many of them, but I was too sweet to say no to her even though she looked to be about nineteen. Today, when I got to the cheese counter, there was a petite dark haired girl standing there holding up a list that she complained she couldn't read and I had a creepy sense of déjà vu.

"Do you read?" she asked as she pushed the piece of paper under my nose.

"Excuse me?" I replied at her rude tone and she let out a small huff.

"Do. You. Read?" she said slowly this time and I cocked my eyebrow at her.

"Do you have some sort of gene that overrides your brain and refuses to let you be polite? You could ask nicely you know," I retorted as she looked in complete shock that I had responded to her angrily.

"Sorry. I'm having a rough day," she said with a gentle smile and couldn't help but feel remorse for being so callous to her. "My roommate sent me grocery shopping because she had some important shit to do for work. I don't even know how to cook, let alone read her chicken scratch like hand writing."

I grabbed the list from her hand and started reciting it to her. Having a father who was a doctor certainly came in handy when it came to reading some of the world's most awful handwriting. "The list asks for Camembert, Brie and a brick of Swiss," I said as I recited the cheeses that were listed. "I'm Edward by the way."

"Alice, pleasure to meet you. You don't by any chance have the time to spend following me around the store to help me do you?" she asked sweetly as she batted her eyelashes. Something told me that this girl rarely got turned down for anything in her life, even though she was rude as shit sometimes.

"Well, I am here doing my groceries, so if you want to follow me then I can help with your list, and it won't be the end of the world," I muttered, surprised at myself for my willingness to help this stranger. Why couldn't I be this bold and honest with Sexy Coffee Girl? Instead I get within five feet of her and all I have is verbal diarrhea and extremely explicit images coursing through my brain.

So went my afternoon. I helped Alice do her grocery shopping while learning way too much about vintage fashion. It seemed she owned a clothing store a few blocks away, which was ironically across the road and a few stores down from the used bookstore that Jasper owned. She was a nice enough girl, but she had way too much energy for my liking. Fuck, she would probably be horrible all hopped up on coffee. Alice and I finished shopping at the same time and went through the checkout where she bought me a supersized Toblerone for all of my troubles, even though I kept insisting it wasn't necessary.

"Not necessary?" she said with a laugh. "You must be single."

"Why do you say that?" I inquired as she tossed the large candy bar in with her order, not even caring that I had turned her down.

"Well that's easy. If you had a girlfriend you would already know that besides oral sex, a Toblerone is the quickest way to her heart," snickered Alice as I narrowed my eyes at her. She was annoying, yet oh so wise.

I grabbed my three bags of groceries, complete with the ten dollar Toblerone and thanked Alice for the interesting afternoon. "It was fun Edward. We should do it again sometime," she said genuinely as I nodded my head and we walked out the front door of the store, heading in opposite directions. She was certainly an interesting girl, I would give her that.

**BPOV**

_PennyLane84: You should go to bed Paperbag Drunkie_

_Paperback_Writer: Coming with me?_

Did he just…?

_PennyLane84: Maybe another time._

Seriously, had I been as drunk as he probably was, I would have definitely considered it. At the moment, I only had one and a half Mike's Hard Lemonades in me and that definitely was not enough liquid persuasion for me to consider getting on the phone with him or to consider phone sex of any kind.

_Paperback_Writer: If that's the case, I hope to god you own a webcam._

_PennyLane84: Goodnight Boozie McGee._

_Paperback_Writer: 'night Penny._

I signed off, shaking my head in amusement and looked up at the clock in the right hand corner of the computer screen to see that it was one thirty in the morning. I shut down my computer and headed off to bed.

I woke up around the usual time and I immediately remembered what PBW and I had talked about last night. The aching between my legs made me wish that I'd taken him up on his offer as I let out a loud huff and reluctantly got up, throwing on a white tank top and my old Princeton sweats. The only clean bra I had left was black, but the thought that I might see Hot Coffee Guy made the prospect of flashing my undergarments pretty okay. I put on my high-top Converse sneakers and grabbed a hat before I stepped out of my room to head over to Common Grounds for my daily caffeine fix.

I could hear Alice shuffling around in her room as I walked past. "Hey Al, I'm going over to Common Grounds, did you want anything?" I asked quietly through the door. God knows that Rose definitely was not an early riser, especially when she didn't have to be at work until the afternoon. Alice's tiny head popped out from behind the door and she handed me a piece of paper and I took it without looking.

On my way to the coffee shop I took a look at what Alice had written down, but I couldn't read it. It looked like a freaking serial killer's handwriting. I studied it during the entire walk over to the coffee shop and by the time I got there I still wasn't able to decipher it. I got in line for my coffee, still trying to figure it out when I felt someone behind me, maybe they would know what the hell it said.

I turned around and was met with none other than Hot Coffee Guy. Of course, that was just my luck, so without thinking, my mouth just started talking. "I don't know what anything means anymore. I mean, I can't even read my best friend's handwriting. What does this say?" I asked as I practically shoved the piece of paper under his nose. "The person who wrote this should be dressed in a clown suit stuffing bodies under their porch." Oh cripes, I really need to learn the concept of a verbal filter.

He took the note from my hands and studied it closely, as I studied his face, probably a little too closely as well. "Umm… I think the note says 'Large Espresso Americano and three oatmeal raisin cookies,'" he said quietly as he handed the note back to me. I was still staring as his eye met mine and for a moment it seemed as if I could actually see the person he really was just by looking into his gorgeous green eyes. They were mesmerizing and easily the most beautiful pair of eyes I'd ever seen. Without thinking, yet again, I spoke.

"Thanks. You're a life saver. I was tempted to get her a Large Chai Latte and some chocolate chip muffins. I think my roommate would probably hack my arm off making my life as an artist a little less possible. Although I guess if the guy in Def Leppard can drum with one arm, I can surely paint right?" Seriously, what was wrong with the connection from my brain to my mouth? He laughed at my rant and nodded his head, signaling to me to move up one spot in the line before he responded.

"Sure. You can paint with one hand but you can always use your mouth right?" I couldn't help the loud bout of laughter that burst through my lips, as his comment seemed so wrong to me on so many levels. Apparently, I couldn't even talk to this beautiful man without thinking dirty thoughts.

"You have a dirty mind coffee boy," I blurted out, blaming my dirty mind on his comment.

"I meant with the paintbrush. Can't you hold it between your lips and paint that way?" he asked, trying to salvage the conversation by clarifying his previous comment, which sounded extremely dirty and made me think of doing many things with my mouth to him. His hand moved to rub the back of his neck, as I imagined my own hand rubbing that exact spot in a comforting motion. I think I might have been staring for too long without responding because suddenly he changed the subject. "So… you went to Princeton?" he asked as he gestured to my sweatpants. I'd almost forgotten that I put them on.

My usual snarky, sarcastic self came out at that moment in my response to his question. "Nope. Stole the pants off a freshman when I did a campus tour a few years back. Beat the shit out of him real good too" I said as I shrugged my shoulders as his eyes widened at me and he looked shocked. "Fuck you're easy to mess with. Yes, I went to Princeton. What about you? Did you steal sweat pants from your alma mater?" I asked, curious as to where to he went to school. I was actually interested in everything he had to say and share with me, but I couldn't just say that.

"No. I did buy a lovely Boston College sweatshirt from the bookstore during frosh week that I still have, even though there are holes at the wrist."

"Most of my clothes have holes at the wrist or the underarm. I even have a few pairs of pants with holes at the crotch, but those are always the most comfortable, so even though my roommate tries to make me throw them out, I still have them. I'm talking too much aren't I? Sometimes when I'm nervous I get way too chatty. I'm ten times worse with caffeine in my system." Holy Juan Valdez I am such a fucking mess. Why would a sane person babble on about holes in their clothes to a complete stranger and then basically tell him that he's making me a nervous wreck? I let out a shaky breath and he laughed.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked softly, catching me off guard. He almost sounded like the idea that he could make me nervous was completely ridiculous, which it wasn't considering that he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen and I was… well, me.

Before I could answer his question, I heard Margaret call next in line and I realized that I was up. I ordered my regular and went to read what Alice had wrote, to no avail yet again and forgetting what Hot Coffee Guy had deciphered for me. I turned back to him, handing him the note and he read it aloud so that Margaret could hear. I paid for my order and waited patiently for Alice and my coffees, all the while staring at Hot Coffee Guy's ass until someone behind the counter handed me the two cups of coffee and three cookies before I walked away.

"Thanks," I called out to him before I walked out the door. I headed back to the apartment and I was barely able to hold onto the two cups of coffee and the bag of Alice's cookies without dropping everything onto the sidewalk. When I finally made it upstairs, I found Alice cheerfully getting ready for work.

"Oh thank god! Coffee!" she said as she practically leaped at me. Sometimes I wondered why she even drank coffee; she had plenty of energy without it.

"Gee, Al. I should keep this stuff from you, you don't need it," I said with a laugh as she narrowed her eyes at me.

"I'm only keeping my hands to myself right now because you're making fondue tonight," she replied.

"Cheese and chocolate right?" I asked, knowing how much she loved my fondue. Of course, tiny girl likes tiny food. Actually that was a complete lie, since Alice ate an unnatural amount of food and I sometimes found myself wondering if she had a hollow leg or something because she never gained a single pound.

"You know me too well, Bella," she said smugly. Before she walked out of the apartment, I remembered that we had absolutely no cheese in the house for the fondue and there was no way I could get to the store to get some before dinner time.

"Oh, Alice! Could you to go pick up some cheese for the fondue tonight? I need to work on my painting for the gallery in a couple of weeks and it needs to be finished by tomorrow," I told her honestly.

Once in a while, I would be asked to have my work displayed in a gallery and it always made me excited to know that someone was appreciating my art. This time though, they requested that I make an original piece instead of using one that I'd already painted and they needed it by the next afternoon. The pressure was on because usually I would find myself painting late at night, but these days I was chatting to PBW online.

"Sure Bella. Anything for fondue." I narrowed my eyes at her and she amended. "Oh and because I love you," she said with a grin.

"That's what I thought," I said before I wrote down the kinds of cheeses she would need to pick up and handed it to her. Alice looked quickly at the note before stuffing it into her pocket and leaving the apartment.

I actually had time to finish my coffee before I noticed that it was time for me to walk the dogs. They dragged me around Washington Square Park for an hour and a half and I wanted to kill Heidi because she kept jumping onto Caius every time we stopped for more than 2 seconds.

When I finally got back into my apartment and into my studio, I immediately stripped off my sweatpants, leaving me in my black & white striped boy shorts with Snoopy on them, fixed my hair into a loose ponytail and started painting.

A few hours later, I was covered in red, orange and yellow paint and was staring at something that vaguely resembled a sunset. I pondered it for a few minutes, tilting my head and examining it and adding a few simple strokes where I felt they were needed, before I walked out of the studio and headed straight for the shower. On my way to the bathroom however, Rosalie spotted me.

"Oh god, Bella, you're a fucking mess," she said as I jumped nearly four feet into the air, surprised to find her at home.

"Cripes, Rose. You scared the shit out of me!" I said as I held my hand over my heart. "What are you doing home anyway?" I asked curiously.

"Um, it's five thirty Bella," she said as she nodded her head towards the clock on the wall. I looked at the clock in disbelief as I realized how much I really did lose track of time when I was painting.

"Shit," I said with a small laugh as I continued my walk into the bathroom and took a hot shower, trying to rid myself of paint completely, but knowing that it was impossible. I had actually grown accustomed to finding small bits of paint on me when I least expected it. When I was done, I threw a t-shirt and my Princeton sweats back on and found Alice in the living room. "Hey, Al. Did you get the cheese?"

"Yeah, I had help from some hot guy when I couldn't read your damn handwriting," she said as she tossed me the note and I opened it, looking at the rushed handwriting.

"Yeah, well that was just payback. I had to get help from someone reading your coffee order this morning," I said as I tossed the unneeded piece of paper into the trash can and began sifting through the plastic bag, seeking out the Camembert, Swiss and Brie that I needed to make the fondue. I let the cream, white wine and cheeses melt together while I ripped up some bread for us to dip into the fondue. By the time it was done, I had Alice standing next to me; practically dry humping my leg in excitement. We ate and cleaned up before I went over to my computer and saw that PBW was online.

_PennyLane84: Well I'm definitely keeping my roommates alive, one of them was acting like a lost little puppy and wouldn't leave my side the entire time I was making fondue tonight._

A few seconds later, he replied.

_Paperback_Writer: That's because she wanted to make sure you didn't poison it._

_PennyLane84: Shut up. She was practically drooling. So, how did you feel this morning Drunkie McGee?_

_Paperback_Writer: I don't wanna talk about it. Plus, I had to deal with a conference call with my idiot boss._

_PennyLane84: Sounds like fun. I got a webcam today, btw._

There was a pause for a few moments before he responded and I wondered if I'd said the wrong thing.

_Paperback_Writer: Are you serious?_

_PennyLane84: No, sorry. I couldn't resist._

_Paperback_Writer: Damn. _

_PennyLane84: Disappointed PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: I'd say no, but then I'd be lying. What do you say to a chat Friday night?_

I read the message a few times before I responded. Was he asking me on a chat date? What the fuck is a chat date anyway?

_PennyLane84: Like an online date?_

_Paperback_Writer: Sure, we can call it a date. What do you say?_

_PennyLane84: I'd like that._

"Bella you better get in the kitchen, I think Alice is going to burn us all! She's trying to melt the chocolate!" Rosalie shrieked. I put my face in my hands and shook my head.

_PennyLane84: I gotta go PBW. Roommate is trying to melt chocolate and there is no way this can end well._

_Paperback_Writer: Good luck… See ya Penny._

I signed off in a hurry and walked towards the kitchen feeling both excited about talking to PBW and furious with Alice and Rosalie for interrupting us. "Alice Brandon you leave my stove alone or there will be hell to pay!"


	5. Hello, Goodbye

**A/N: Look at us, on time with our weekly update and shit. We want to thank every single one of you who has reviewed lately. You guys f'in rock. We've had a ton of new readers and alerts and that means a lot to us since all we are trying to do is give you guys a funny little story.**

**Hope you enjoy the chapter. Keep on reading, reviewing and truckin'.**

**Links to the outfits are on our profiles.**

**We don't own twilight; between us we own way too many Beatles songs.**

**EPOV**

Two days later, I found myself tugging on my hair anxiously as I crossed the street to head into Common Grounds. I hadn't seen Sexy Coffee Girl yesterday but that wasn't what had me anxious. Emmett had called late the night before and had asked, no demanded, that I head to some fucking dance club with him and Jasper tonight. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to it. They were heading over to a place called 'Love' that was basically located between both of our apartments and I groaned loudly when Em had invited me, but he refused to take no for an answer.

When I finally walked into the coffee shop, my mind was clearly elsewhere and I didn't notice when I bumped into the girl directly in front of me. "Watch where you are going, ass," she had said coldly and when I looked down at her, I wanted to throw myself in front of the nearest cab. _Sexy Coffee Girl._

"I am so unbelievably sorry. I didn't… " I stammered out stupidly. Good going Edward, suddenly you have a case of diarrhea of the mouth as you stand in front of the loveliest creature you have ever laid eyes on. "How about I buy you a coffee to make up for not paying attention?" I offered genuinely, proud of myself for using my brain to its full capacity.

"Is this like some pick up line or something? Stumble into the girl and buy her coffee, all the while coming off like some charming yet confusing boy?" she asked as I stared at her incredulously. She thought I was trying to pick her up? Well, of course I wanted to, but I hadn't even made an effort. However, on the positive end of things, she found me charming, so I could at least take solace in that.

"Uh no, if I was trying to pick you up I would probably use one of those lame pick up lines like 'nice shoes, wanna fuck?' I tend to find crass humor is the way into a woman's heart," I said with a laugh and I was surprised and pleased that she actually laughed at me. _Score one for Edward._

"Okay, you can buy my coffee smartass," she replied as we moved ahead one spot in line and Margaret stared at us with a huge grin. "I'll take a…"

"Large Café Latte with extra foam," I said quickly as she looked at me with wide eyes, the surprise clear on her face. I didn't exactly want to man up and tell her I had secretly been stalking her, so I came up with the best excuse I could muster in such short time. "I'm psychic."

"Sure you are crazy man," she said with a laugh as I then gave my order to Margaret and picked us each up a muffin, paying quickly because I wanted to talk to her more. I wanted to know her favorite color, why the hell she was wearing multi-colored knee high socks, jean shorts and t-shirt that says 'I'm always right' and featured a picture of a 90 degree angle. I wanted to know where she lived, who her friends were and if she would prefer to be on top or under me as I fucked her senseless.

"Hello?" she called out, breaking me from my train of thought.

"Sorry, did you say something?" I asked, feeling like a fucking idiot.

"Yeah, I was saying thanks for the coffee," she said sweetly as she lifted the coffee and muffin in her hand towards me. She then turned on her heel and walked abruptly out of the store as my mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Edward," I heard Margaret say as I whipped my head towards her. "Your coffee is ready." I grabbed my hot cup from the small counter and headed towards the front door, feeling like quite the fool. I wanted to talk to her more, maybe even convince her to sit down and actually have a conversation with me but I had to go and daydream about fucking her and screw it all up. Shit, I didn't even know her name yet; this is how lame I was when it came to the ladies. _I was a fucking screw-up._

As I crossed the street and walked back into my apartment building, my cell phone immediately started going off, so I fished it out of my pocket and answered it. "Jasper… to what do I owe the displeasure? Are you calling to harass me about going to the club tonight because I already told Emmett I was going, against my better judgment I'll have you know."

"Good morning to you too dipshit," he replied as I laughed and stepped into the elevator as I took a sip of my coffee. "No, I was calling to see if you could swing by the store later. Beth is out sick and I desperately need someone to watch the shop for like an hour or two. What are the chances I can convince you? I'll buy all your drinks tonight, how does that sound?"

"Sounds like you are going to go broke brother, because I planned on getting really drunk tonight," I said with a laugh as I slipped the key in the door and headed into my apartment. Of course, I didn't want to tell him the reason I wanted to get drunk was because of the hot chick at my coffee shop and how I was a total douche around her. Then again, maybe drinking heavily wasn't a great idea since I was going to talk to Penny later in the night when I made some lame excuse to leave the bar around eleven.

"Whatever, I don't care man," said Jasper with a sigh. "So… can you do it? Last time I asked Emmett he broke the cash register and it cost me three hundred bucks to have a guy come out to look at it, only to find some Cheetos jammed in the keys," he added and I laughed, clearly remembering how upset Jasper had been at the time.

"What time do you want me?"

"One o'clock."

"Fine, but make sure you bring your credit card tonight and start a tab. I'm a thirsty son of a bitch." I heard Jasper laugh lightly on the other end of the phone and we said our quick goodbyes before I grabbed my laptop and sat down, sorting through my emails from work. There was nothing overly pressing, so I decided to start a load of laundry so that I had something clean to wear to the bar and then I spent the next three hours in my darkroom, immersing myself in photos I had taken in the city that had nothing to do with weddings.

Ever since I became obsessed with photography, I was interested in taking random photos of things in New York and during any downtime I could usually be found wandering the streets or subways with my camera. Unfortunately, when summer rolls around it becomes almost impossible to do what I love, but I do my best. After a while, I glanced up at the clock and noticed it was twenty to one, I tossed my clothes in the dryer and then grabbed my camera as I headed on down to Jasper's bookstore.

Just before one, I walked into 'The Bookshelf,' the used bookstore that Jasper opened two years ago. His Grandmother Hale passed away and left him a large inheritance so he took the money and his love of books and turned it into his lucrative little business not far from the NYU campus that catered to all sorts of clients. "Your savior is here," I announced as I walked in and Jasper motioned at me with his hand to keep my mouth shut.

"What's wrong?"I asked quietly as I walked up behind the counter and took a seat at the second stool, resting my camera bag on the floor beside me. Jasper pointed to someone behind one of the shelves but I couldn't see anything so I just shrugged my shoulders at him as he then glanced at his watch.

"There's a gorgeous chick wandering the aisle," he said with a grin as I tried to look again, to no avail. "Ah, shit. I need to get out of here. I'm gonna be late for my meeting. Don't do anything stupid, don't change the prices and don't steal anything," Jasper chastised as he grabbed his messenger bag and quickly slung it over his shoulder as he stepped out of the store.

I stood up for a moment and went to my favorite section of the store, grabbing an old book about the history of photography and found the small bookmark I had left inside last time I visited. Jasper refused to sell me the book so I just read it every time I was in the store. I think he refused to sell it to me so he could give it to me for my birthday, making his job a little easier. He was never the most creative guy I knew, I laughed to myself as I sat back on the stool and heard the shuffling of feet.

"Excuse me, do you know if you have 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' by D.H. Lawrence?" asked a soft voice that I swore I knew. I looked up and saw Sexy Coffee Girl standing there, holding three different books, including Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers.' "Small world, I didn't know you worked here."

My eyes were glued to her awkward smile and I wanted to sit her down and ask her all the things I had thought of earlier in the morning, but I suddenly felt overwhelmed and nervous. "No."

"No, you don't work here or no you don't have 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'?" she asked with a sexy smirk that made me instantly hard. Jesus Christ, I was definitely screwed with this one.

"No, I don't work here. A friend of mine called in a favor and I am covering for him while he runs to a meeting. I can check on the book though in the computer," I said anxiously as I stood up and moved over to the computer, aimlessly typing in the title she was looking for. As I waited for Jasper's archaic system to load, I couldn't help but wonder why she would want a book about a woman who has an affair after her husband becomes impotent.

I watched as she rested the books on the counter and leaned forward, her chin resting on her hands as she stared at me, waiting. "Interesting choices by the way."

"Yeah well, let's call it research," she said sweetly and I watched in awe as her tongue swept along her bottom lip slowly. Fuck, she was so damned tempting.

"You planning to cheat on your husband?" I asked with a laugh as she raised her eye brows in surprise.

"There's no husband for me to cheat on actually," she answered as I looked at the screen and groaned.

"Boyfriend?" I asked hopefully as she shook her head in the negative and I felt the familiar tightening in my pants. It didn't help that she was still wearing the tiny shorts from earlier in the day and when she turned around and looked at a display at Jasper had set up, she bent down and I caught the most exquisite view of her ass that I had ever seen. I withheld the urge to run over and bite it when she turned around and started to tap her fingers on the counter impatiently.

"Any luck?"

"Sorry to let you know, but we don't have that book. I can order it for you but it might be two to four weeks before it gets into the shop," I said casually as she shook her head and pushed the existing books towards me to ring in for her.

"Nah, I have a copy of it already, I was just looking for one that wasn't so worn out," she admitted coolly as I proceeded to ring in her payment. I got slightly giddy at the prospect of learning her name from her credit or debit card, but of course she paid cash, before not even saying goodbye and wandering out of the store. I was tempted to run after her, but Jasper would shit a brick if he knew I left the store unattended, so I wandered back to the stool and picked up my book, desperate for the moment when Jasper would show up and relieve me so I could go relieve myself of the built up tension in my pants.

When Jasper showed back up at the store, it was just after four in the afternoon and I think I had managed to sell eight or nine books, feeling somewhat proud of myself. "How did everything go?" he questioned as he tossed his bag on the counter and looked at me curiously.

"It was fine. Certainly not the Cheetos debacle of 2007, but nothing exciting really."

"Did the hot girl buy anything?"

"Yeah umm… she got Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence. She was also interested in Lady Chatterley's Lover, but you didn't have it in stock," I admitted as Jasper looked at me, his eyes ripe with disappointment.

"Shit. I would have liked to have talked to her about historical erotica, if you know what I mean," he said as he nudged me and my eyes grew dark with anger. "Preferably in my bed."

I found myself growling in jealousy as he spoke, so I decided rather than let him continue to harbor fantasies about her, I should just stake my claim now. Not that I really had a claim, but I had wanted her a lot longer than he had. "She's mine."

"What the fuck? Did you ask her out?"

"No. She's the Sexy Coffee Girl I've been seeing every morning for the past month and a half. I'm working up to asking her out, so please don't put the moves on her if you see her again. You have ten times more confidence with the ladies than I do, and I don't think I could handle it if she started dating you dude."

Jasper looked at me sympathetically and nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, I won't try anything. I will admit though, it's nice to see you get excited about a real girl again."

"Yeah, thanks," I muttered as he gave me an awkward one armed hug for helping him and we agreed to meet at the club just before nine.

As I walked in the door to the apartment, I made myself a quick dinner of tacos and salad as I sat on the couch and watched the episode of 'The Office' that I had TiVo'd the night before. When seven thirty rolled around, I had a quick shower and got dressed, taking my time and enjoying a beer before heading out to the street and hailing a cab to the bar. I found myself resting my head against the back of the headrest, thinking about Sexy Coffee Girl and all the ways I wanted to be with her. Fuck, tonight was going to be rough.

**BPOV**

"Can I just state for the record that I really don't want to go," I said as sat down on the edge of my bed and watched Alice rummage through my closet. She, of course, was already dressed impeccably in a pair of black leather pants and a cute white crotchet trimmed top that I was envious I didn't own. I'd have to swipe it from her closet one of these days when she wasn't looking and pair it with my favorite cut off jean shorts.

"Do you own anything that doesn't have paint on it?" shouted Alice as I rolled my eyes and turned on my iPod, trying to get myself in the mood to head to the club they were dragging me to. We had an agreement in place though; I got to leave at 11 so that I could be home to talk to PBW online. Of course, they didn't know I was meeting him, just that I got to leave before 11.

"Ooh, that skirt is clean," I yelled out as I noticed my new red plaid skirt come flying out of my closet and ran to grab it. I slipped it on over the shorts I was wearing and then pulled my shorts down, dressing like I was trying on clothes in the middle of a department store. "I have a black tank I can wear with it."

"Okay, I will approve of the tank top if you go with these shoes," said Alice as she handed me a pair of lace up boots I forgot I even owned.

"Deal," I said as we quickly shook on it and I slipped the boots on, instantly dreading the size of the heel and imagining injuring myself before we even got to the new club we were heading to. It was called 'Love,' which I thought was kinda funny. I finished getting dressed in record time and let Alice and Rosalie do my hair and makeup since they deemed me completely unfit to do it myself. They constantly laughed about the fact that I could paint pictures that could be hung in the Louvre, but I always looked like a rejected member of the Insane Clown Posse when I did my own makeup. I laughed right along with them, because I knew it was true. I just never found it in me enough to care what I looked like.

An hour later, we stepped out of the cab and onto the sidewalk in front of the club. It was nearing nine and there was a fairly decent sized line, but thankfully Alice had an in at the place and had gotten us put on the guest list. We walked inside and I giggled slightly at the looks of disdain we were receiving from the other people in the line. When we got to the club, I found I was actually looking forward to spending the night out dancing with my best friends and it was merely a perk that there was alcohol involved.

Rosalie and I headed up to the bar and I ordered a Jack and Coke for myself and an Appletini for Alice, who was out scoping the club for a table. I tipped the bartender after he gave us a quick show of throwing the bottles in the air and then I pulled Rosalie away since she couldn't stop staring at his muscles. When we found Alice a few minutes later, she was perched at a table with three guys and my mouth instantly dropped open when I recognized the one with the sexy bronze hair.

"Hot Coffee Guy?" I spluttered out, wishing I had an entire tray of drinks because the one I had was going to go quick. I could feel the heat spread across my face as my nickname for him became public knowledge. He gave me a strange look of surprise and I assumed it was from either seeing me at the bar or from hearing me call him 'Hot Coffee Guy.' I hoped to god it wasn't the latter. I handed Alice her glass as she looked between me and HCG.

"Do you two know each other?" she asked with a raised eyebrow, her glare fixed on me.

"Uh… yeah. Something like that," I forced out through clenched teeth as I noticed how tight his plaid shirt looked across his chest and god I wanted to see what was under that shirt. The image of him sitting there gave me a sudden urge to sketch every line of his bare chest. "I mean, we're not good friends but we're friends. We're friendly... Friendish might be a better term," I spastically clarified. The other two guys at the table scooted over and Alice immediately began to introduce us.

"Oh okay, since we got that cleared up, Hot Coffee Guy is actually named Edward," she began with a huge smile. "I met him the other day when you made me go get cheese at Whole Foods. The other two gentlemen are his best friends, Emmett and Jasper." I felt the blush intensify as she said his nickname again, which was embarrassing in itself because I rarely blushed. I also couldn't help but laugh at the rather dreamy way Jasper's name fell from her lips and immediately knew we were in trouble, Jasper in particularly.

I wasn't surprised when Rosalie was the one to pipe up next. "I'm Rosalie, you obviously already know the pixie is Alice and the disgruntled looking one over there is Bella."

"Fuck you, I'm not disgruntled," I said angrily as I swallowed down my drink and waved my hand for the waitress to come over. I placed another order, this time a double and watched in awe as the conversation flowed effortlessly around me.

"So Alice, what do you do for a living?" asked Jasper as he moved his chair slightly closer to hers and she looked positively ecstatic. I smiled to myself at how easily they seemed to be getting along even though they had only met mere minutes before.

"I own my own store," she said casually as I noticed Jasper get all excited. They suddenly started to talk in depth about the retail market and I discovered that Jasper actually owned the bookstore I had been in this morning, which explained why he seemed so familiar to me when we sat down.

"What do you do Emmett?" I asked a few minutes later to break the tension that seemed to form between the rest of us. Edward wasn't really saying much and Rosalie couldn't stop looking at Emmett for two seconds to form a coherent sentence. I had to admit, Emmett was a decent looking guy, with a great body and a cute face, but the whole time I listened to him speak, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how I knew him.

"I'm an actor."

Jackpot.

"Oh really? Anything we'd know?"

"He almost played Aunt Jemima in a commercial once," said Edward as he tried to suppress his laughter and took a sip of his beer instead, my eyes glued to his soft looking lips during the entire process. God, what I wouldn't give to be that beer bottle.

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm not an elderly black woman. I'm also sorry if sometimes I go to the wrong audition."

The entire table burst out laughing, including Jasper and Alice and I suddenly noticed that Edward was right beside me, his arm casually grazing mine. "That man is why mail-order brides were invented," he whispered to me so that Emmett didn't hear him. Unfortunately, I laughed so hard that my knee hit the top of the table causing a few of the glasses to rattle, which in turn caused Emmett to look over at Edward and me as a few left over giggles escaped my lips.

"Are you guys talking about me?" he asked as Edward and I both shook our heads and Emmett rolled his eyes before turning back to the conversation he had finally engaged Rosalie in. The waitress came by and Edward pointed to my glass, wordlessly asking me if I wanted another drink, to which I nodded. It was amazing the difference in him between the coffee shop in the morning and now with his friends. He seemed almost confident now, but in the mornings tended to lean towards the shy side. When the waitress came back, Edward quickly paid her, not letting me have the chance.

"You didn't need to do that," I commented as I folded my arms over my chest and looked at him incredulously. I took a quick sip of my drink as he spoke.

"How about you buy me a coffee one morning and we call it even," he asked as I smirked at him and let out a little laugh. I was glad that we were actually carrying out a conversation – outside of the coffee shop even – and I forgot about my chat date with PBW. "Anyways," he continued, "Jasper is buying my drinks tonight in exchange for me working at his store this afternoon, so it's not like I'm gonna go broke." I was about to ask him something else when I felt Alice tug on my hand and practically drag me to my feet.

"Sorry boys, but we came here to dance, so we are gonna do it at least once," stated Alice firmly as Rosalie stood up from her seat next to Emmett and led us out onto the dance floor as the beginning of 'Crazy In Love' by Beyonce & Jay-Z started through the speakers.

We danced with each other, letting our inhibitions disappear and I couldn't help but notice that the girls kept watching the table where the guys remained, now sitting closer together and watching us. Alice was giggling as she extended her arms above her head and began practically grinding her ass against Rosalie shamelessly, watching Jasper's eyes bug out of his head at the exact same time.

"You do realize you are practically throwing meat to a starving animal right?" I questioned with a giggle of my own and Alice as she nodded her head in time to the beat of the music.

When the song ended, it segued into 'Toxic' by Britney Spears and of course Rosalie made us continue dancing since it was one of her favorite songs. I actually didn't mind, I enjoyed letting loose and dancing once in a while. Some guy danced his way over to us and had his hands on my hips, I was about to tell him to fuck off when Alice noticed and she 'accidently' stepped on his foot with her stiletto, leading him to step away quickly. I had to admit it was nice to see her take charge. When we ended up heading back to the table a few songs later, I was thirsty as hell and Edward passed me a glass of water instead of my Jack and Coke.

"You looked parched."

"You were watching," I said with a small smile. For some reason, I liked that fact that he had been watching me.

"Drink the water Bella, you don't want to be hung over when I drag you to Pottery Barn in the morning," stated Alice enthusiastically as I rolled my eyes.

"By the way, you will owe me for that, Alice. I hate Pottery barn," I said with a laugh as I sat back in the chair next to Edward and it didn't escape me that his arm was now draped over the back of it. Not over me, just the chair.

"I hate Pottery Barn too," slurred Emmett, the fury ripe in his eyes as he pounded his fist on the small, now sticky table. "They kicked me out of there because I sat on a bed."

Jasper looked at him incredulously and broke out into laughter. "Emmett, you took off your pants and climbed under the sheets."

"I was tired and they were really comfortable. It was like sleeping on boobies." I struggled to bite back my laughter and looking beside me at Edward, I could see he was doing the same.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Rosalie interjected in shock as Emmett looked at her, confused. "Boobies? You compared a bed in Pottery Barn to women's breasts?"

"Yeah?" said Emmett with a shrug of his shoulders as I caught a quick glimpse of his watch out of the corner of my eye, I gaped in surprise at the time it read.

"Shit, it's almost one in the morning," I said as I stood up, feeling angry and disappointed in myself for missing my date with PBW. Not that it was a real date mind you, but I still felt bad that he was probably sitting at home at his desk waiting to talk to me. I had been looking forward to it since we planned it and the remorse started to bubble up as I moved awkwardly towards the door, being rude to our newfound friends. "I need to go."

"We should go too. I didn't even notice the time and I had something to do earlier tonight," I heard Edward say as he followed behind me onto the sidewalk and shoved his hands into his pockets, looking just as anxious as me. He quickly flagged down a cab and graciously let me have it just as Alice and Rosalie came out of the club. Alice had her cell phone out and I figured she was eagerly adding Jasper's number, since I knew they were going to see each other again.

Emmett on the other hand kept trying to grab Rosalie's ass as she swatted his hand away in frustration. Edward opened the cab door and we all slid in. "I'll see you soon," he said sweetly as I nodded my head and we all said a quick thank you. My leg was bouncing up and down anxiously during the entire cab ride. I felt horrible about missing my chat date with PBW and I really hoped that he was still around when I managed to get online.

Once Alice, Rose and I got into the house, I walked briskly over to my computer, only to find that PBW was not online. My heart sank at that moment as I realized that I had not only broken a promise, but I had probably let him down. I definitely considered him a friend at this point and no matter how crazy it sounded, it was true. I decided that I would shoot him an email and apologize for missing our date.

_Dear PBW,_

_I am so sorry that I missed our date. It was a girls' night out with the roommates and I know this is a totally lame excuse but we lost track of time. I hope you can forgive me and we can reschedule. _

"_But when I get home to you,  
I find the things that you do  
Will make me feel alright."_

_Sorry… again._

_-PL84_


	6. Please Mr Postman

**A/N: I bet you guys didn't think we were going to post tonight huh? Well it's still Sunday somewhere, so here we are. With CPW away for the weekend and FLB11 busy with schoolwork, we were a little late in creating this masterpiece of cockblockery. I hope you all enjoy. We've had a lot of interest in this disaster for the past few weeks and hope we don't disappoint.**

**BPOV**

After I sent out my email to PBW I went straight to bed, praying that I wouldn't wake up with a hangover in the morning. However, when I did peel my eyes open Saturday morning, I came to the conclusion that the fates were definitely trying to punish me for ditching PBW, because my head felt like it might literally explode. I dragged my ass out of bed, my hair sticking to one side of my face thanks to some drool that had accumulated on my cheek. I nearly tripped over something or other that was lying around on my bedroom floor in an effort to get to my closet.

I really needed a cup of coffee.

I looked over at my alarm clock as I was pulling a pair of my old sweatpants and a t-shirt and saw that it was only ten in the morning. What the fuck I was doing up so early after last night I will never know. I suddenly remembered my email to PBW last night so I ran over to my computer, successfully tripping this time on my Birkenstocks that were lying on the floor and landing right on my face. That did not help the hangover. At all. My head was now aching like I had gone several rounds with Mike Tyson, minus the ear biting.

When I got back on my feet, I sat in my computer chair and checked my email. There was one from him waiting for me. I smiled to myself before I opened it, but suddenly felt panicked. What if he was angry with me? _No, you fucking apologized, he'll understand._ I opened the damn email andwas put at ease when I read it.

_No worries Penny. I ended up out late with friends as well, so it seems we were in the same boat. Perhaps I will see you on Saturday night after 10 and we can make it up to each other?_

_PBW_

I shot him back a quick email.

_Well at least I'm not the only Jack Ass in the Box. Saturday night sounds great. See you then._

_-Penny_

I hopped up from my chair and headed over to Common Grounds, hoping to see Edward there this morning, but trying not to get my hopes up. After last night I didn't think he would be there this early. I inwardly slapped myself for waking up so early.

I noticed that Margaret was not at the counter as soon as I walked in the door. There was some pimply teenage kid standing there. He gave me one of those horny teenage boy smirks and I walked up to the counter and ordered my regular café latte with extra foam. I sat in the coffee shop, suffering glances from the pimply kid, whose nametag read Jimmy, and hoped that while I was sitting there that Edward would show up.

I drank my coffee painstakingly slow, but Edward never came. I had sat there for nearly two hours and now it was past noon. I decided that since I still felt like there was a bowling game going on in my head that I would go for some hangover food, so I walked a couple blocks over to the my favorite Mexican place. _Ah, Burritos. The perfect hangover food._

I ordered a chicken burrito to go and walked back to the house. I plopped down onto the couch and watched a rerun of The Big Bang Theory as I ate. It was the Christmas episode where Penny gets Sheldon the napkin autographed by Leonard Nimoy and all he can concentrate on is the fact that he had Mr. Spock's DNA and he hugged her, which was one of the most awkward things I've ever seen. I'd have to remember to tell PBW about it next time I talked to him.

After nearly choking on my burrito from laughter, I meandered over to my studio and tried sketching. I sat for a moment, tapping my pencil on the sketchbook before I found my mind wandering back to the night before at the bar with Edward. I remembered him looking at Emmett as they were in deep conversation and how handsome his face looked as his face was consumed with such deep concentration. His mouth was parted slightly and his eyes looked like they were shining, they were absolutely the most beautiful pair of eyes I had ever seen.

Before I realized it, my hand was drawing the image of Edward that I had in my mind. I paid special attention to them in my sketch, giving his eyes the attention they deserved and I even briefly considered coloring them in because the emerald color of Edward's eyes left nothing to be desired. They were perfect.

When I was done with the sketch, I set it down on my table and checked my watch, which read just after two, so I decided to get dressed in something that wasn't covered in paint and go see Rosalie at the shop. When I wandered into 'The Forbidden Fruit' and saw Rosalie putting what looked like a bunch of sparkly dildos behind the glass counter. I chuckled to myself and she looked up and smiled at me.

"Hey, B. What's cookin' good lookin'?" Rose shouted as I walked towards her.

"Not much, I was bored as hell and wanted to see what one of my best friends was up to at work since I never come see you anymore," I said with a sigh as I looked down and sure enough saw the dildo she had put behind the glass, it was that horrible sparkling one. I shivered at the mere thought of someone finding that appealing.

"Yeah, you bitch," Rosalie said as I whipped my head back up to look at her and sure enough she has a smug grin on her face. I shook my head at her and we laughed together. That was our rhythm, she teased me nonstop and I just rolled my eyes. It's how you know Rose actually likes you, she's mean. She really only showed me true affection when she was trashed.

She showed me a couple of the new sex toys they had recently acquired, some of which included a Love Whip, a Sex Swing and a Sex Swing-Stand. We laughed endlessly at the ridiculousness of the last one, the picture that came with the manual on how to put it together made it look hilarious. After that, I looked over at the porn section and saw a familiar face. It was Edward's friend, Emmett who we had met at the bar the night before.

"Hey, isn't that Emmett from last night?" I leaned over the counter and whispered to Rosalie.

She glanced up to where I had gestured my head as if she knew he would be there and her eyes darted back to me. "Yup," she mouthed. "He's been in here for the past half hour looking at porn," she continued in a soft whisper, trying not to laugh.

"Awww, Rosie's got an admirer! But I think we all already knew that after he tried to grab your ass ten times last night," I said quietly through bursts of small muffled giggles.

"Shut the fuck up Isabella Marie," Rose shouted, a little too loudly. Emmett turned towards us and smiled at Rose as he ambled over to the counter where the two of us were standing.

"Well hello there, Rosie," he said happily, as if Rosalie had no idea he had been in the shop for the last forty five minutes. I thought he was going to completely ignore my presence until he turned towards me. "Hey Bell," he said nonchalantly.

"Emmett," Rosalie answered for the both of us. I was really curious as to how she was going to handle him, because although she had swatted away his hands the night before when he tried to grab her, she never once mentioned that she wasn't interested in him. In fact, by the looks of her last night and her smile now, she was _very_ interested.

"So sweet thing, what would you say to accompanying me out to dinner this evening?" he said quite stupidly. I tried my best to keep the giggles from bursting forth, but a few stray ones managed to escape my lips. I moved over to the other end of the counter so that they could have a conversation.

I glanced over at the two of them as Rosalie pondered his comedic question. "Why would I agree to that when you tried to grab my ass constantly last night?" Rosalie argued. I knew she would put up a fight. It was her MO whenever she liked a guy.

"It's not my fault that your ass practically screams 'Hey Emmett, grab me!'" Emmett countered. Rosalie let out a loud laugh at that and Emmett chuckled slightly as he watched her. I could tell by that look that he really liked her and I hoped she would give him a chance. It seemed I had that instinct with everyone but myself. I was never good at determining whether or not a guy was attracted to me, but I could see it a mile away when it came to my friends.

"Well, if you can ignore my screaming ass for one night I can't see why not," Rose agreed. As soon as the words left her mouth, Emmett's hand disappeared into the bucket of condoms that were sitting right next to Rose on the counter. She quirked her eyebrow at him as the placed the handful of condoms on the counter. "Condoms? Really, Emmett? I just agreed to go out with your stupid ass as long as you didn't touch my ass and you think it's a good idea to get condoms?" she questioned with her hands on her hips, looking livid.

"We don't know what's going to happen. There may be a nuclear holocaust and we might have to repopulate the world," Emmett added with a small laugh, trying like a madman to get out of the situation he put himself in. Could he have been more confidently stupid? I rolled my eyes, knowing that he was really in for it now.

"And _condoms_ are the way to do that?" Rosalie said through clenched teeth, holding her hands in the air in front of her and clenching them into fists.

Emmett looked like he was about to argue until he realized what he had just said and stopped himself. "Well, no. But a guy can hope can't he?" he said with a big goofy grin on his face. I knew he had her then by the smile on her face. She definitely thought he was an idiot, but it was clear she liked him regardless of his stupidity.

"Fine, you idiot. Here's my number," she said as she scribbled her number on the back of a stray piece of receipt paper. "Now get out of here before I change my mind," she finished as she slid it across the counter towards Emmett.

Halfway out the door, Emmett looked at the receipt paper in his hand and turned back. "Sex slings? Kinky," he called back to Rosalie who let out a small huff of frustration. She was certainly going to have her hands full with this one.

Rose's gaze hardened. "Go, Emmett!" she shouted as she pointed to the door. Emmett scurried out the door and I looked back at Rose and we burst out into laughter.

"Oh, you like him," I told her matter-of-factly once the giggles had subsided.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rosalie said as she continued what she had been doing before Emmett and I had interrupted her.

"Sure you don't. I've gotta get going and pick up some stuff for dinner at Whole Foods. I'll see you later, whorebag." I started towards the door and she yelled back at me.

"Slutface!"

**EPOV**

When I ran into my apartment on Friday night, I felt like shit. Not just because of the copious amounts of alcohol I had consumed at the bar with my friends, but because I had basically ditched Penny. During the whole cab ride back to my apartment, I couldn't help but worry that Penny was never going to talk to me again. I turned on my instant messenger and as expected, she was nowhere to be found. _Did you really think she would wait almost two hours for you dip shit?_

I was pleasantly surprised to get an email from her in my Paperback_Writer email account. As I waited for the email to open, I prayed that it wasn't her telling me to fuck off permanently.

_Dear PBW,_

_I am so sorry that I missed our date. It was a girls' night out with the roommates and I know this is a totally lame excuse but we lost track of time. I hope you can forgive me and we can reschedule. _

"_But when I get home to you,  
I find the things that you do  
Will make me feel alright."_

_Sorry… again._

_-PL84_

I let out a small sigh of relief as I smiled and then I immediately sent her an email back in response.

_No worries Penny. I ended up out late with friends as well, so it seems we were in the same boat. Perhaps I will see you on Saturday night after 10 and we can make it up to each other?_

_PBW_

I left it short and casual, mainly because I was exhausted and I didn't need to type something completely asinine as I apologized to her. As soon as I had shut down my computer, I dragged my sorry ass upstairs to bed and passed out in my clothes.

When I woke up the next morning, my eyes acclimated to the bright sunlight coming into the apartment through the open curtains and I groaned. _Why the fuck hadn't I closed those when I got home last night? _I glanced over at the clock and was shocked to see it was already eleven thirty in the morning. So much for seeing Bella at the coffee shop today, I thought to myself as I took my time dragging my aching body out of bed. I had a long shower and afterwards I grabbed my grocery list and went to go pick up a few things at the grocery store, stopping in at Common Grounds on my walk to get a coffee.

"Morning Edward," declared Margaret as I walked in the fairly empty shop. "You missed her again this morning."

"Yeah, I figured as much. Her name is Bella by the way. We actually met outside of the confines of your lovely establishment last night," I added with a laugh as Margaret looked at me with wide eyes.

"It's about time you figured out her name," she grinned as she rang in my usual order and I handed her the cash. "I figured you would call her Sexy Coffee Girl forever."

"You knew about that? Of course you knew, I muttered it on an almost daily basis. I wish I could say I had some grand plan figured out to talk to her, but I just couldn't muster up the courage to talk to her. Apparently I needed to be drinking to do it." Margaret chuckled at me as she passed me my change. I grabbed my coffee and thanked Margaret sweetly as I strolled from the coffee shop and down the street towards my apartment.

I talked over the phone with Jessica Stanley about her upcoming wedding and what kind of photos she wanted and all that crap. The woman was the epitome of a Bridezilla and I spent an entire hour and a half on the phone with her in a gruesome conversation discussing the pros and cons of using film versus using digital. She finally relented on trying to come to a decision over the phone and I ended up having to meet her for coffee, at Common Grounds no less, and I prayed to whatever god there might be that Bella didn't walk in while I was there with Jessica and get the wrong idea. Thankfully she didn't come in and I was relieved when Jessica finally decided on going with the film because she liked the print quality better. I laughed to myself at the idea that this woman could actually tell the difference in the quality of the picture, but I was not going to question her as long as it meant I got to leave.

Once was done, I headed down to Whole Foods around four-thirty and thankfully I didn't have a huge amount of stuff to get, because the store was absolutely packed. I made my way through the store, avoiding the flirty girl at the cheese counter and when I was heading down the cereal aisle, my cart crashed into someone else's with a loud bang, alarming a few other shoppers. "Seriously man, vision is a wonderful thing. Use it," she snapped at me as I lifted my head up and came face to face with Bella.

"Jesus. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" I snapped, shocked with my rather abrupt comment to her. Bella's eyes grew wide and then she burst into a fit of laughter. I couldn't help but gawk a little at the tight plaid shirt and extremely tiny shorts that made me painfully hard.

"Wow, almost thought you didn't have it in you," she said as she turned around the corner and I suddenly grabbed my cart and began to follow her.

"You didn't think I had what in me?" I asked nervously as Bella began to sort through organic pasta and tossed a couple of packages into her cart. I looked at what she had in her shopping cart with way too much interest and she clearly noticed me. When I caught her eye again, she was smirking cheerfully.

"You just seem to have trouble forming sentences around me. Like seriously Edward, it took some booze for you to say more than three words to me, so I was a little surprised you would have such a sarcastic comeback for me," she admitted as I watched her smile grow, my cock responding equally.

"To be honest with you Bella, you are like a mythological creature that casts some kind of spell on me and makes me act stupid every time I see you. I'm not stupid you just make me nervous. I don't act stupid with anyone else," I said, surprised by my frankness with her. I tossed a bottle of expensive tomato sauce into my cart, making it seem like I actually needed something from the aisle, instead of just stalking her. Although admittedly, I was simply stalking.

"So you're not stupid," she said as I nodded my head. "But I make you nervous?"

"Yes, you make me very nervous. I want to just act like myself and discuss my photography with you and then pull you into conversation about why your hands are always covered in paint," I said genuinely as I watched as Bella lifted her hands and stared at them. Once again, there was paint on them and I let out a small laugh. "Would you be interested in having coffee with me tomorrow morning? Say around ten o'clock?"

I looked at her and I could feel my hands getting sweaty. Where the hell did this confidence suddenly come from? "Sure, I can meet you Edward. At Common Grounds I'm assuming?" I think my eyes might have bugged out of my head when she agreed. I nodded my head awkwardly and watched as she walked away and towards the cash registers.

When I finally finished my groceries, I took my three bags and practically skipped home because I was feeling so giddy. _You're turning into a fucking girl moron. _I had plans to get together with Bella tomorrow and I was basically on cloud nine. To make everything even better, when I got home from the store, Penny had left me an email. She let me know that everything was great and she would definitely meet me later at night to chat.

I put away all my groceries, developed a few rolls of film and then talked to Jasper. Apparently he and Alice had already gotten together for lunch today, taking time from their busy stores to eat at a sandwich shop a few minutes from them. He couldn't stop talking about how perfect she was for him and I found myself laughing out loud since they had only known each other for approximately twenty hours.

After making dinner and watching Boondock Saints for the ten millionth time, I finally managed to get myself online just before ten and Penny was already there.

_Paperback_Writer: Hey Stranger._

_PennyLane84: So you are talking to me again. Have I apologized enough? Would you like me on my knees begging for your forgiveness?_

_Paperback_Writer: I might like you on your knees, but you won't be begging._

_PennyLane84: You have such a dirty mind PBW._

_Paperback_Writer: Are you complaining?_

I found myself suddenly feeling very frisky yet also somewhat remorseful. Here I was having just made a pseudo date with Bella for tomorrow morning and I was totally hitting on Penny. What the hell was I supposed to do? Perhaps I should reign in the feelings that Penny stirred in me and just take a step back for a moment. Go back to the casual friend thing we had going before.

_PennyLane84: Not complaining one bit. Your sexy banter is making my girly bits weak._

_Paperback_Writer: Fuck me_

_PennyLane84: I wish_

So much for taking a step back. My cock was practically standing at attention and there was no way I couldn't follow through with this. I had to see where this went.

_Paperback_Writer: What are you doing right now Penny?_

_PennyLane84: Enjoying a glass of Merlot and talking to you. How about you? What's on your mind tonight PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: I'm sipping on a Sam Adams Summer Ale and wondering what the hell you are wearing._

_PennyLane84: A tank top and shorts. It's a wee bit hot in the city tonight. I do believe that turnabout is fair play PBW. What are you wearing?_

_Paperback_Writer: boxers and a wide smile._

I couldn't help but laugh out loud as I wrote that. What the fuck was I doing telling this girl I was wearing just boxers and a smile. I might as well have told her I was buck naked and stroking my cock in the middle of my living room, the imagery was basically the same. I started to tap my hand nervously against my leg because she was taking way too long to respond.

_PennyLane84: Now I'm naked, what do you think about that?_

_Paperback_Writer: What do I think? I think… why the fuck aren't you in my living room so I can make love to your body and your brain._

_PennyLane84: You are so tempting._

_Paperback_Writer: Is there anything I can do to make it all better?_

_PennyLane84: Hmmm the images running through my mind right now are very dirty._

_Paperback_Writer: Do tell._

_PennyLane84: Do you think you could handle it?_

Fuck yes I could handle it. I could handle anything she wanted to offer me right about now, whether via chat or live and in person.

_Paperback_Writer: There is no doubt in my mind that I could handle you Penny. In fact, I've thought about handling you for a while now._

_PennyLane84: You think you could handle me if I was on your desk right now?_

_Paperback_Writer: FUCK YES_

My heart beat started to get erratic as my mind was bombarded with images of Penny on my desk, spread in front of me, but also of her potentially playing with herself on the other end of the computer. The things her fingers could be doing, I wished my fingers were doing. Fuck. Without even thinking about it, I was suddenly rubbing myself through the fabric of my boxers. I was hard as hell.

_PennyLane84: Should I be bent over or lying on your desk? Which would you prefer PBW?_

I would prefer you knowing my name was Edward so you could scream it out over and over again.

_Paperback_Writer: Bent over. Most definitely bent over._

_PennyLane84: I like how your mind works PBW. So you can envision my long hair as I am bent over your desk and --_

WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED??

I reluctantly let go of the grip my hand had on my cock and jumped up from my chair. The power had gone out in the apartment and I went towards the window and ripped open the curtains. The fucking power had gone out on my entire block. What the hell?

Talk about bad fucking timing. I was about to get myself off to the sensual words of Penny and then the power had to go out. Motherfuckers. I seriously think karma was messing with me. This was my punishment for wanting both Bella and Penny at the same time, I knew it.

**A/N: Alright there ya go. Now press that little green button and maybe we can give you a chapter sooner than late on Sunday Night. Then again, it is Canadian Thanksgiving this upcoming weekend and before you ask, it is no different than US Thanksgiving. My family doesn't eat sweet potato casserole and we don't shop for Christmas the next day, but otherwise, it's the same fucking thing. Now review and maybe CPW will regale you with other Canadian Thanksgiving myths. LOL**

**You all should go check out Home Run by jadedandboring. It's sweet and cute and still young, but we both have a feeling jadedandboring is going to do great things with it!**


	7. Day Tripper

**A/N: I know, we're a little late, but it's still Sunday here in New York and Canada, so too bad! We said Sunday updates, we never said at what time on Sunday.**

**Quick items of note: Go check out the Twilight DILF contest, CPW has an entry in it and tonight is the last night for voting. Don't forget the Esme Erotic Ecstasy Contest which CPW and our good friend kikikinz are hosting. Deadline for entries is midnight on October 31****st****. Our chickiepoo ARenee363 is hosting a Halloween contest with WindyCityWonder, so go check that out too. CPW is working on a collaboration with Risbee for that bad boy that should be posted next week.**

**As usual, outfits are on our profiles and we don't own Twilight. We do however own a lot of the music from Glee on our iPods.**

**BPOV**

_PennyLane84: I like how your mind works PBW. So you can envision my long hair as I am bent over your desk and --_

What the…? My power went out. _Just fucking great_. I reluctantly lifted my finger off of my panty covered clit and gulped the rest of the wine that was residing in my glass. The moment I put the glass back down on my desk, I started to panic. What had I just done? What would have happened between PBW and I if the power had not gone out? I was drunk and I knew that had something to do with my bold behavior tonight, but I knew I wanted some form of release, and using PBW to obtain it seemed like the easiest way to get it.

I dragged my drunken self over to the bathroom and gulped down two big glasses of water in the dark before heading back into my room, hitting my shin on the edge of my bed. I yelped out in pain before I stripped off my clothes, which I stupidly lied and told PBW were already removed, and then changed into my pajamas and crawled underneath the covers.

The next morning when I woke up, I thanked the sweet lord that I had the presence of mind to have that water after my drunken-almost-cyber sex escapade with PBW, because otherwise I would have woken up with a pounding headache for my coffee date… thing… with Edward. I actually didn't know what it was, but I was glad I was meeting him in the morning, rather than just ogling him like I did every other day. Things were different now. We were friends. I think.

When I discovered I only had a small headache, I popped a couple of Tylenol and headed over to my computer. I sent PBW an email explaining that my power had gone out and that hopefully I would talk to him later that night. I got up from my chair and looked in the mirror and I grimaced because while I didn't feel too horrible, I certainly looked it. My hair was all knotted and just… everywhere and the makeup that I had forgotten to wash off the night before was smudged all over my eyes. I couldn't help but think that I looked a bit like a drunken raccoon. I looked over at my clock and saw that it wasn't yet nine, so I still – thankfully – had time for a shower before I had to meet Edward for coffee.

I threw on a pair of plain jeans and a purple tank along with my rainbow scarf and Birkenstocks once I was out of the shower. I clipped my hair behind my ears casually and walked out the door, headed towards Common Grounds. I was a little bit nervous about meeting with Edward, partly because he was the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen and he made my legs feel like they were made of Jell-O and partly because I didn't know if we were meeting as just friends, or if it was a date.

I probably should have clarified that before hand, but I didn't want to overanalyze things. He was a decent guy with a sexy face and fuckhot body. Now if I could discover whether he could hold a conversation, I would be all set. Not that I would let things go too far with him anyways, so it was sort of a moot point. I wasn't about to get my heart trampled on, there was no way I would ever let what happened to my parents happen to me. I guess I just clarified it all for myself. This is not a date. We are friends.

I walked into the coffee shop just after ten and Edward was already waiting for me. He looked up as soon as I walked in and we both waved at each other, albeit a little awkwardly.

"Hey Margaret, can I get my usual?" I asked as soon as it was my turn to order. I was feeling hot all of a sudden and wished I had checked out the weather, since the humidity was already unbearable at ten in the morning.

"Hey Bella, sure." I handed her my five-dollar bill and waited for my latte. I didn't know if I should wait at the table with Edward or if I should stand, since it would only take two minutes for my coffee to be ready, so I just decided to bite the bullet and wait at the counter. When my latte was ready, I thanked the guy behind the counter who handed it to me and strolled over to where Edward was sitting.

"Hey stranger," I said as I sat down at the small round table across from him.

He smiled gently at me. "Hey Bella."

Just then, a man came into the coffee shop mumbling to himself and both Edward and I turned our heads to look at him, trying to figure out what he was mumbling. "What the devil is that guy saying?" I asked with a light chuckle.

Edward glanced at me for a moment while listened intently to the stranger. "It sounds something like 'the apocalypse is coming,'" Edward said incredulously. I giggled, holding my hand over my mouth before taking a sip of my coffee. "I swear, this town is like one big outpatient mental institution," he said before taking a sip of his drink. I couldn't help but watch as he licked his perfect lips when he pulled the cup away from his mouth and I smiled at his comment.

"Have you seen the guy who walks around with the open, empty guitar case?" I asked once I pulled myself out of my erotic daydream involving Edward's mouth.

"I have," Edward said with a laugh. We talked effortlessly for a while and the conversation hardly seemed strained. I was glad that this guy was so easy to talk to, but at the same time that worried me, because I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn't interested in anything more than a friendship. With anyone.

"So, Bella. What do you do? I'm actually surprised we didn't get a chance to talk about it the other night at the bar."

"Um, I'm an artist. I guess," I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

"You guess? You're not sure?" he asked me seriously.

"Okay, I _am_ an artist. I just never really think of myself as one. I paint, sketch, take photos, but I just… never say 'Hi, I'm Bella, the artist.' Does that make sense?" I asked, regretting my rambling. I swear this man completely took away my ability to speak sometimes. _Sheesh, Swan, you spend five seconds thinking about his lips and you're a mess. How would you be able to handle thinking about other parts of him?_

Let's not even go there. Well other than those thoughts I had about his lips earlier, but that was a onetime thing. _Whatever you say Bella._

"Actually, yeah. That does make sense," Edward replied. "I'm kind of in the same boat actually."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Well, I'm a wedding photographer, but normally I like to cut out the 'wedding' aspect when I consider my profession," he told me seriously. Judging by the way he spoke about it, it seemed like Edward didn't really fancy taking wedding photos. Like he just liked the art side of photography, but was stuck with doing something he liked, but not being able to do it how he wanted to.

"I completely get that. I'm actually showing some of my paintings at a gallery tonight," I blurted out. Why? I'll never know, but it was too late to take it back, so I waited for his reaction.

"Oh yeah? That's awesome, Bella. Do you do showings often?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"Once in a while, people will see my work and ask me to show it at their gallery. Actually, this time someone requested I paint a piece specifically for this exhibition, so I'm excited to see if it sells."

"Where is it?"

Well that caught me off guard. "Um, the Black Gallery." We both sat there in a bout of awkward silence until I decided on just inviting him. "Would you like to come, Edward?" I said, probably sounding like a complete moron. I felt bad that I hadn't invited him when I first mentioned the showing, but I hoped he wouldn't care about that. I found myself actually wanting him to come.

"Sure, I'd like that," he said with a tender smile.

"I think Emmett might be coming with Rosalie. By the way, did he tell you how their date went?" I asked him, internally kicking myself for talking about our friends' date instead of our own.

"I think he likes her. He's never really tried so hard or been so nervous with a girl as long as I've known him. I know he's a little crass, but that's just Emmett. He's a good guy underneath all the… dumb," Edward said almost seriously. I let out a loud guffaw at the fact that he could talk about how dumb his friend was without laughing about it.

When I came down from my laughter induced high, I found Edward staring at me, looking almost… intrigued? "What?" I asked him.

"I like your laugh," he said genuinely. "It's very unique."

"Really, Cullen? Talking about a girl's laugh," I said skeptically. I didn't know if he was being truthful or if he was using a line on me, but I needed to lighten the mood, so I called him out on trying to use a line.

"No, it's true. Most girls have that annoying, high-pitched laugh. Yours isn't that bad," he said with a shrug. I rolled my eyes at him and looked down at my watch.

"I'm thinking about heading over to the New Museum for an exhibit on the photography of David Goldblatt. Since photography is up your alley, do you want to join me?" I asked simply. It was almost noon and we had been together for almost two hours talking about the most random shit, but I wasn't ready to say goodbye to him just yet.

"You know what… I have nothing planned until I have to see some exhibit by some crazy chick at the Black Gallery tonight, so sure, I'll go with you," he said with sly grin as he stood up and offered me his hand. I allowed him to help me stand and then pulled my hand away after feeling a slight spark as our hands touched. When we walked out of the coffee shop, I turned around and couldn't help but notice Margaret grinning at us like an idiot.

The exhibit we saw was called 'Intersections Intersected' and as we walked through the museum, our arms often touching and more sparks occurring, I found myself trying to focus on the photos, but instead staring at Edward more often. The odd contrast between his copper colored hair and bright green eyes left me breathless more often than not.

"It's amazing how Goldblatt has managed to capture the complexities and contradictions of South African society. His photographs capture the social and moral value systems that governed the tumultuous history of his country's segregationist policies and continue to influence its changing political landscape," stated Edward as I looked at him incredulously. "What? I studied Goldblatt in school so I know a bit about him."

"I'm impressed actually. With friends like Alice and Rosalie, it's hard to find someone with whom I can have a serious conversation about art or… anything actually. With them it seems like we talk more about fashion or dildos." It was Edward's turn to look at me in shock, his mouth hanging open, most likely from my casual use of the word dildo.

"Oh yeah, Rose works in a sex shop right?" he inquired with a small laugh as I nodded my head. "I should go and visit her one day… replenish my movie collection."

I giggled right along with him and we continued our way through the museum. There was another exhibit all about Emory Douglas, but I noticed that it was almost three when we finished with the Goldblatt exhibit and I had things to do before the gallery showing tonight. Plus, we never managed to eat lunch so my stomach was grumbling unhappily at me.

"Shit, it's almost three. I've gotta get going. I have to run to Whole Foods, again, to get some carrots," I said, immediately regretting the words as they fell from my mouth. I really had to go get carrots for the dogs I had to walk in the morning, because Aro was a freak show and loved carrots more than anything else in the world, but I really didn't want Edward to know that I walked dogs. I wanted him to see the real Bella. "I have to go pick up some… things," I finished lamely.

"Um, you lost me at 'carrots,'" Edward said, sounding very confused.

I changed the subject by joking with him, instead. "Was that the original draft of 'you had me at hello?'" I asked teasingly.

"Why yes it was, actually," Edward countered as we both headed out of the New Museum and started heading back towards Common Grounds wordlessly. When we finally arrived, Edward look at me sadly and let out a small groan.

"This is my stop," he said as he motioned to the apartment building directly across the street.

"Well, then I will bid you adieu and hop that you have a great afternoon. I'll see you around 8 for the show? Do you know where Black is?" I asked suddenly feeling very anxious that Edward would see my art tonight.

"Yeah, I know where it is. I'll see you later, Bella," he said he began to cross the street, holding his hand up to a cab that was about to turn into him.

"I'll see you tonight, Edward."

**EPOV**

When I walked into the gallery, I thought I was going to pass out. My hands were sweaty and I wiped them against my pants in an effort to clean them off. Unfortunately, since it was so fricking humid all day I didn't think it would make a difference what I did, I would always be hot and uncomfortable. I was approached by a waiter holding glasses of champagne and felt slightly out of my element.

As I stood there feeling out of place, I couldn't help but think back to the night before when I was sitting with my computer and desperately wanting Penny more than I had ever realized before. I was relieved in the morning to find her email letting me know that her power had gone off as well, but then my mind went into overdrive. Did that mean she lived in my neighborhood? I had read in the paper this morning that the outage was caused by a truck hitting a transformer a few blocks away, but it only affected the lower part of Manhattan. Penny was closer than I realized, but not as close as I wanted her to be.

I shook my head of my thoughts and went back to focusing on the reason why I was here at the gallery. Everyone was impeccably dressed and I was in a pair of decent looking pants and a black and grey striped shirt I found at the back of my closet. It had been a while since I had to dress fairly nice, since at most weddings I wore a pair of khakis and a dress shirt. I kinda preferred to be dressed down at weddings because then I wasn't mistaken for a guest or a member of the bridal party if I put my camera down somewhere.

I glanced around the room and tried desperately to find the only person I knew, Bella.

Instead, I happened to see a tuft of curly blonde hair and sure enough it was Emmett. He was standing beside Rose and both of them were holding bottles of beer and I was immediately envious. I walked over to join them, working my way carefully through the throngs of people who were milling about and was relieved to also see Jasper and Alice with them. Everyone was out tonight.

"Where did you get the beer?" I asked of Emmett as he turned and looked at me, apparently surprised to see me there.

"There's a bar on the far left of the room. What brings you here?" he asked and I quirked my eye brow at him. He had his arm firmly wrapped around Rosalie's waist and she was shooting me a similar look to Emmett's. I'm guessing Bella hadn't really let them in on our 'friendly' relationship or told them that we had been out for most of the day together.

"Bella invited me." I tried to keep it simple, but I could see the curious look in all of their eyes, including Alice and Jasper who had now joined the conversation. "Don't look at me like that. We're just friends."

"Friends with benefits?" asked Jasper as I shook my head and walked away from them, desperate to find that bar and get myself a stiff drink. A beer just wouldn't cut it tonight.

After I ordered my drink, I stood there watching the other people in the room for a few minutes. Everyone seemed pretty stuck up and it reminded me of why I never had to desire to show off my own pictures. I had to admit that the work that was being shown tonight was pretty great. There were two other artists being featured in addition to Bella, but from what I could see, hers was by far the best and was very well received.

As I continued to scan the room, my eyes focused on Bella. She looked stunning in a tight black skirt that went to her knee and a fitted dark blue sleeveless top with her hair hanging down in sexy curls down her back. As my eyes glanced down her body, I couldn't help but notice the rainbow colored high heels she was wearing. It was a tiny little piece of the real Bella beneath the more formal attire she was wearing. She looked like a completely different version on the hot mess I lusted after every single day since I first saw her at Common Grounds over two months ago. She looked utterly fucking beautiful and I couldn't help but smile brightly as I watched her. Of course, as is my luck, she noticed and winked at me as took a big gulp of my whiskey.

I steeled up the courage to cross the room and talk to her, but I didn't want to see like some crazy boyfriend type, since we were just friends. I couldn't help but think the guy she was currently talking to was more interested in her than her art, which made my blood boil. Just as I was above to move away from the bar, Emmett saddled up beside me and ordered another beer.

"Whatcha looking at?" he inquired casually as he then noticed where my eyes were focused. "Ah, Baby Bell. Why aren't you hitting that dude? She's so fucking hot. If I didn't have such a hard-on for Rosalie, I would so try to jump her bones." I turned towards Emmett, my rage somewhat under control as I patted him lightly on the shoulder, although I really envisioning myself punching him.

"We are just friends Emmett. I don't have to sleep with every woman I come in contact with, like someone I know," I said sarcastically, dropping a major hint about his complete lack of control where women were concerned. Emmett has never had a serious girlfriend or a girl who was simply his friend. Every time he attempted to become friends with any woman, he ended up sleeping with them, effectively ruining the friendship. "Sometimes I don't feel the need to ruin my friendships by coming onto them."

"She wants you dude, you should just do it," he explained as I quirked my eye brow at him, suddenly curious as to how he came to the conclusion that Bella wanted anything from me other than friendship. "Have you not seen the way she looks at you, practically salivating like you are a sandwich or something? Shit, I could really go for a sandwich right about now."

"You are a fucking moron," I said with a small laugh as Emmett just shrugged his shoulders and I contemplated what he was telling me. I mean, yeah if given the chance, I would totally try to date her because she was so fun to be around and was a beautiful woman. We had an awesome time earlier in the day during our coffee and museum time and I was surprised at how easily we got along. However, considering the feelings I currently had for Penny and the fact that I was continually trying to find ways to meet her in person, I wasn't sure I should do anything. I needed to figure out who I wanted more… Penny or Bella.

"Why aren't you at least going over there to talk to her?" he inquired as he took a sip of his beer and I noticed his eyes watching Rosalie on the other side of the room, exactly the same way I had been watching Bella.

"She's busy."

"Edward, you are an idiot. Go make your presence known and flirt with her. Show a little confidence and you'll be in her pants in no time," sighed Emmett as I looked at him with a small amount of shock. I wasn't exactly a lothario or anything, but I thought I could at least handle myself with women. Clearly, I had no experience next to Emmett.

"What must it be like not to be crippled by fear and self-loathing?" I inquired jokingly of Em, whose eyes lit up.

"It's okay!" declared Emmett enthusiastically as he grabbed his beer from the bartender and made his way back to our small group of friends. When I looked over at Bella this time, she was signaling with her hand for me to join her, so I downed the rest of my whiskey and slammed the glass back on the bar before walking over to join her. _I could do confident._

Bella pulled me into a small tentative hug as I joined her and the two men she was speaking with. "Edward, this is the gallery owner Jacob and his partner Sam," Bella said sweetly as I offered my hand to the two men who seemed to give me the once over, as though they were appraising me. Jacob and Sam both looked very tan and impeccably dressed, why I didn't think they were gay before was surprising. Apparently my gaydar was on the fritz or something… I mean Jacob is wearing a fricking scarf in June. I should have known. "Why didn't you come over sooner?" Bella whispered to me as I finished shaking hands with Sam.

"I didn't want to interrupt," I admitted ruefully as a waiter passed by with champagne again the Bella grabbed us each a glass. She practically shoved it in my hand as she then grasped my hand in hers as Jacob led us over to one of the works on display and started talking animatedly about color, tone and mood. I was slightly confused, but that could have been because I was distracted by his long ponytail that his partner Sam kept playing with.

"What do you think of the work Elliott?" I looked around a bit and realized that he was talking to me, and I felt like he was talking to me in a condescending way.

"My name is Edward," I corrected him smugly as Bella squeezed my hand as I analyzed the picture a bit more. It looked at the piece which was a rather intricate mess of red, yellow and orange paint. I immediately thought it looked like a sunset, but you could tell there was more meaning behind the work. "I think the painting is fairly abstract. Sure you can see there is a sunset in the work, but the way the artist has used their paint and brush in such wide strokes it can have several different meanings. The dawning of a new day or the demise of an existing one. It could represent life or death."

I felt a little smug as Jacob looked at me with complete surprise. He couldn't really think that because I wasn't one of those snooty assholes who usually hung around his gallery that I didn't have an appreciation for art or an opinion, could he? "I like this one. You should keep him," laughed Jacob as Sam wrapped his arm around his waist and whispered something lowly in his ear. They bid us a quick farewell as Bella leaned into me and I shivered slightly, feeling the same spark I had noticed every time we had touched today. What the fuck was with the effect this girl was having on me.

"I painted that," she explained to me as my eyes grew wide. Why the hell hadn't I read the little tag that stated the name of the artist. At least I didn't criticize it and say it looked like a piece of shit that I might have found at one of those Holiday Inn artist sales.

"It's beautiful really. How bad were my thoughts about it?"

"You were pretty accurate actually. I was actually thinking about the failure of my parents' marriage at the time, so your reference about the demise of a day was pretty good," she said as she then led us around the room for about twenty more minutes looking at more of her own work and some of the other pieces as well.

We eventually found our friends sitting down in a small lounge area near the bar and Bella seemed more eager to join them than I was. I was partial to spending time alone with her, but it was her night and I wasn't really up to ruining it for her. "Well lookie here, the big famous artist has finally made time for her lowly friends," joked Rosalie, who clearly had a few too many free champagnes in her, especially since she was allowing Emmett to drape his arm over her shoulder and practically grab her boob.

"Have another Rosalie," laughed Bella as she sat down on the leather couch beside Alice, who was curled up next to Jasper and beaming happily. "So, which one of you jackasses bought my painting on the far wall?"

"The nude?" said Alice as she let out a small cough. That was the last painting that Bella and I had looked at and I couldn't help but notice the sold marker on it, which made her slightly giddy. It was a very sensual oil painting of a woman and I was curious the entire time we looked at, wondering who the woman was. Was it a self portrait? If so, I was very envious of the bastard who was taking that one home.

I noticed Emmett's eyes darting around the room and looking anywhere but at us, so I was immediately suspicious. "Did you buy it?" I asked as I pointed directly at Emmett and he lowered his head remorsefully. "What on earth did you do?"

"How can you afford it?" asked Jasper, knowing just as well as I did that Emmett was living paycheck to paycheck thanks to the halfhearted attempts of his agent, Sophia. He kept telling us he had all sorts of auditions coming up, but they didn't usually amount to paying jobs for Emmett.

"I didn't buy it."

"I can tell by the look on your face that you totally bought it, what the fuck did you do?" I asked again as Rosalie smacked him on the back of the head and told him to confess to whatever the fuck it was he did.

"Okay, I noticed how everyone else had their name on the wall and I happened to notice a producer here that I have wanted to work with for a while, so I put my name on the wall, next to Bella's painting and then the producer guy came over and complimented me for buying such an awesome piece of art," started Emmett as a loud collective groan broke out among our friends. "So anyways, he kept talking to me and I was trying to impress him so I claimed I was buying it. Then some gay dude in a scarf who looked a bit like George Hamilton came over and started telling me about the methods of payment and suddenly I was buying a paint by numbers worth more than I made all last year. No offense Bella."

"None taken," she said as she finished off her drink and then stood up to excuse herself. I quickly followed, suddenly concerned that she was upset by Emmett's crass behavior, but she convinced me that she simply needed to go to the washroom, so I headed back to join our friends and joined in as everyone yelled at Emmett for being such a complete asshole.

"Someone who could actually have afforded that should have bought it," chided Rosalie as I noticed Emmett was no longer hanging all over her and it was not of his own choosing.

"Will it help if I go find Mr. Producer Guy and see if he is interested in buying it?" asked Emmett as Rosalie nodded his head. "If I do, can I get a mouth hug?"

"Not if you were the last man on earth you fucking moron," stammered Rosalie angrily as she stood up from the couch, followed by Alice, and headed in the direction of the bathrooms. I rolled my eyes at Emmett as I felt my cell phone buzz in my pocket; I had a new email.

_Hey_

_I'm out and about tonight so I won't be online, but I wanted you to know I was thinking of you. I hope you are having a great night and maybe I will see you sometime during the week._

_Don't do anything I wouldn't do._

– _PennyLane84_

I sat there looking at my small screen somewhat dumbfounded that she had taken the time out from her evening with her friends to send me an email. She was thinking of me? Shit. Now I found myself in even more of a quandary because I was enjoying my time with Bella so much tonight, with the exception of Emmett being his usual moronic self, but I had these unexplainable feelings for Penny; a girl I had never even seen before but was attracted to more than I ever thought possible. What the hell was I supposed to do?

I did the only thing I could think of at the time and responded to her.

_Do you think we should meet one day soon?_


	8. Got to Get You Into My Life

**CPW: Okay, so there is a bunch of things we need to address this week.**

**FLB11: Yeah, like the recommendation we got on The Fictionators 'Follow Friday' for this story.**

**CPW: I was getting to that.**

**FLB11: Sorry. I'm just giddy with excitement. Thanks again Kassiah for recommending us! We Love You!!**

**CPW: Yeah, so the link is on my blog www . coldplaywhore . blogspot . com or you can go to www . fictionators . com . You, Nicole, should lay off the coffee.**

**FLB11: Whatever. It's research for the story. * CPW rolls her eyes and lets out a loud groan * Anyways, thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing, those who came over from the Fictionators and especially those of you who put us on alert this week. We hope we don't disappoint you.**

**CPW: That's what she said. For the record, we don't own Twilight, although I did get that New Moon People Magazine thing and was seriously disappointed and we both watch way too much Friends and Gilmore Girls.**

**EPOV**

Two days later, I found myself on a flight to Chicago for my Cousin Tanya's wedding. She was marrying some idiot mortgage broker named Mike Newton, who no one in the family liked with the exception of Tanya. Bella and I had met earlier in the morning for coffee and I had let her know that I would be out of town for over a week and she seemed a little bummed, but definitely not heartbroken. I had to admit, I wished she showed a little more emotion when I let her know that I would be away. In her infinite wisdom, my mother decided that it would be a great idea to throw a family reunion two days before the wedding since the entire Cullen clan would be in town for the nuptials. Of course, I thought it was a bit much, but I usually did when it came to Esme.

As I sat in the lounge waiting to board, I reached for my laptop and turned it on; my wireless connection loading almost immediately and I discovered Penny was online.

_Paperback _Writer: Hey stranger. Long time no chat. _

Penny and I hadn't really spoken much since our short emails on Sunday night during Bella's gallery opening. I almost emailed her, asking if she wanted to meet in person soon, but decided against it, choosing to delete the message instead.

I was enjoying my time with Bella so much that day; I didn't want to confuse things further with Penny. I wrote her back and told her to have a good time with her friends and since then I hadn't heard much from her. Then again, I hadn't been online as much as usual thanks to my newfound friendship with Bella and the fact that I needed to pack all of my gear to head to Chicago. Not only was I attending the wedding as a guest, but I had also been commissioned, at the insistence of my mother, to shoot their photos. I was slightly angry though since my mother had told my cousin I would do them at a crazy low discount for her.

_PennyLane84: Hey PBW, I was just thinking about you. _

_Paperback_Writer: All good thoughts I hope _

_PennyLane84: Always, when they pertain to you. Aren't you going out of town in the near future? _

_Paperback_Writer: I'm sitting at the airport as we speak._

I hadn't explained to Penny the real reason I was going out of town simply because we hadn't ever discussed our families. There were certain things that we had decided to keep at an arm's length and that was one of them. However, since I was going to be heading to the head office of the greeting card company while I was away, I told her I was going out of town on business. I felt a little like I was misleading her, but I didn't want to bend our rules at all, so there was no family talk.

_PennyLane84: It's going to be lonely around here without you _

_Paperback_Writer: Hahaha very funny. I will have my laptop with me, so I'm sure we can chat, although there will be a time difference where I am heading. _

Then as if knowing I was getting into a comfortable groove with Penny, there was an announcement on the overhead system announcing that they were boarding my flight. I quickly wished her a good afternoon and closed down my laptop, grabbed my camera bag and headed onto the plane.

The whole flight was painful at best as I sat there contemplating both my relationship with Bella and my online friendship with Penny. I wanted them both for completely different reasons and if I could merge the beauty and personality of Bella with the smarts and sexiness of Penny, I think I would be all set. Actually, I would probably drop to my knees and propose to her immediately and that's saying a lot from me. The elderly woman beside me on the plane could tell I was a bit stressed and offered to listen to my situation, but when I began to explain that the situation involved two girls, she immediately got the wrong impression.

"You know son, I've seen a lot in my eighty two years, but this is both disgusting and disrespectful. Please do not talk to me again," she said with an angry huff as she put her headphones on and turned towards the movie. I looked around and noticed a few of the other passengers were watching out interaction. Now, in addition to feeling remorseful about my love life, I also felt like a pervert.

When I arrived at my parents' house, after sitting in traffic for over two hours in my rental car, all I wanted to do was send Penny a quick message and then head to bed. Neither of those things would be in the cards for me though since my mother insisted on having me sit down with her and talk about life in New York City. Dad was away at the hospital due to work and she was clearly feeling lonely and a bit detached from my life. We had always been close, until I headed away to Boston College for school. Slowly, our conversations became less frequent and our lives became so busy, her with her work and charities, and me with school and then work, that we had become pretty distant from one another.

"So, are you seeing anyone right now?" she asked, not pulling any punches. I think I had been in the door all of five minutes before she asked this of me.

"Not really," I explained lamely as I shrugged my shoulders. I mean, how does one go about telling their mother that there is a girl online they would love to fuck and then a girl offline that they aren't quite sure what they would like to do with, but fucking would definitely be involved. Could I honestly tell my mother about my situation without her frowning upon it? Probably not.

"Could you be anymore vague Edward? Either you are dating someone or you aren't. Although, I would think that if you were dating anyone seriously you would have brought them home for your cousins' wedding," she remarked as I rolled my eyes and nodded my head in agreement.

"You are right mom. I am not seeing anyone. I haven't seen anyone since I broke up with Lauren all those months ago." I let out a small groan as my mother looked at me disapprovingly. "Listen, I can tell by the look on your face you are concerned about me having children one day, but let me assure you, I am still young that I've been so busy with work, I haven't had a chance to have a date in a while."

"Well surely someone as handsome as you doesn't have trouble finding a woman friend," my mother said a little rudely as I looked at her, my eyes wide.

"You should know me better than that. I don't care about a woman friend mom; I'm looking for someone I can spend the rest of my life with. Don't you think I should be a little picky when it comes to the woman who will be the mother of your grandchildren?" I asked tentatively. Thankfully, my father came home from the hospital a moment later and our discussion was quickly shelved. Not for too long though because at the family reunion and the wedding reception my mother brought it up again. Much to my displeasure.

I took all the photos during the ceremony and Tanya and Mike posed for dozens afterwards in the gardens of the reception location. Once my job was over, my mother spent over half an hour introducing me to eligible women who were friends with Tanya. She thought it might be nice if I could meet a nice girl from Chicago and then move back to the city to settle down, which of course was not going to happen. As much as I loved Chicago, I felt like New York was my home now.

Just before eleven, I found myself sitting down at one of the tables enjoying my first beer of the night, when I was joined by Avery, one of the girls my mother had introduced me to earlier in the night. She had been a sorority sister of Tanya's down at UNC and even though she was a very pretty blonde, she was not my type.

"You look a little too depressed to be at a wedding," she said sweetly, as she took the seat next to me and took a sip of her own beer. It would figure that there would be an open bar at this shindig and my mother would sign me up for the photos. Sometimes my life sucked.

"Yeah well, it's been a long day," I stated to her coolly as she suddenly moved her perfectly manicured fingers along my arm, trying to be seductive. As I looked down at her hand, I immediately wished I was seeing the paint stained hands of Bella against me. "I was the wedding photographer as well as the Cousin of the Bride."

"I noticed you all afternoon actually," she stated as I saw her tongue run along her bottom lip. "I have to admit, when your mother introduced us earlier, I really hoped you would spend more time with me. " I reluctantly looked over at my mother who was smiling brightly at the two of us. "She even cornered me later to let me know that you weren't seeing anyone. How much longer are you in town Evan?" She ran her fingers through my hair and her long nails hurt, rather than felt good as I supposed was her intent.

I let out a low groan, jerking my head away and ran my fingers through my own hair, trying to fix it since she had no doubt mussed it up. Why the hell did I always attract the mentally incapacitated? "It's Edward actually and contrary to what my mother has explained to you, I am seeing someone. I just didn't want her to pressure me about it."

"Oh," she said, sounding disappointed. Little did she know that when she called me by the wrong name and touched my head that she had totally sealed the deal for herself. There was no way we were even dancing after that fuckery. "Well, she is a lucky girl. What's her name?"

"Pen… Bella," I forced out as I smacked myself on the forehead for my own stupidity. Avery rolled her eyes at me and stood up before looking back.

"You know, you didn't have to make up a girlfriend to get me to leave. You could have simply said you were not interested. Faking a name is almost as bad as saying you were gay." She stomped away, her heels clacking loudly against the wooden dance floor before I even had a chance to apologize.

I hid from the death glare of my unrelenting mother and made my way over to the bar, downing two shots of whiskey before finding a small seat in the corner, away from everyone else. The partygoers began dancing to YMCA, complete with hand movements and I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, eager to exchange words with the only person that could make me smile.

_Hey Penny, just wanted to check in and see what you were up to. -PBW_

It was only a few minutes later when my phone buzzed beside me on the table.

_It's a boring Saturday Night. I Swiffered my floor and now I am using a lint roller to get dog hair off my shirts. -Penny._

Why is it that even cleaning sounded more appealing to me than this wedding? The DJ called the room to attention as they were getting ready to toss the garter and the bouquet.

_Anything sounds more appealing than the shit I am suffering through. Entertain me. - PBW_

My mother pushed me towards the hoards of single guys, none of whom looked familiar to me, yet shared my sympathetic look. I stood at the back, waiting impatiently to move away from the group, but my mother kept her eyes trained on me, making me feel remorseful for trying to get away. My phone buzzed and as I picked it up to read the message, the garter landed in my cell phone holding hand. What the fuck?

My mother ran to my side, practically gushing about the fact that I caught it, but I just shoved the small scrape of satin and lace into my pocket as I looked at the message from Penny.

_Would I be entertaining you if I said I was naked? - Penny_

_Are you naked? -PBW_

_No. I just wanted to know if it would entertain you. -Penny._

I let out a groan and told my cock to calm down as I tried to think of something witty to say in response. Unfortunately, all I really wanted to do was go up to the hotel room I had booked for the evening and turn on my laptop and chat to her properly. However, that was not going to happen.

"Edward, did you meet Brandi? She caught the bouquet," said my mother as she came towards me with a lovely looking brunette with a nervous smile.

"Nice to meet you," I replied as I looked at my phone impatiently.

"Don't you think it would be nice if you guys shared a dance," my mother said aggressively as she practically pushed me towards the equally anxious looking woman.

"Mom, I think you should lay off. Brandi looks pretty scared of you," I commented as Brandi nodded her head at me. "Anyways, if you hadn't noticed, there was some tall looking guy in the corner who had his eye on her all night. I think she might have a boyfriend." Brandi gave me a quick hug and whispered her thanks to me before high-tailing it back across the dance floor to her man. My mother shot me an angry stare but I warned her with a stern look and held out my hand to her so I could at least dance with her as we had this discussion.

"Mother, you need to calm down. I will find someone, but it won't be at Tanya's wedding," I scolded her as she groaned at me. I loved Esme with all of my heart, but she was stubborn woman. It didn't help that I was her only child, but she seemed to think it was never going to happen for us. I grabbed her left hand with my right and put my left hand around her waist as we began to dance.

"Before I die?"

"Yes mother, before you die I will find someone alright? However, if you keep pressuring me and forcing unsuspecting women on me, you may die at my hands," I said jokingly. As if on cue, my father showed up a moment later and cut into our dance. I graciously turned my mother over to him and went back to my hidden corner and pulled out the phone again.

_It would entertain me greatly if you were really naked and emailed photos. – PBW_

_Maybe next chat babe. I'm heading to bed. All alone. – Penny_

_You know, we could rectify that. – PBW_

I ran my fingers through my hair again, nervous about propositioning her when we hadn't ever discussed meeting. I wanted to, desperately, but I could sense that she wasn't ready. I was leaving our potential meet in her hands. If she wanted to do it, I was all for it.

_Maybe we'll talk about it when you get back to town. Goodnight. – Penny_

_Goodnight. – PBW_

I shoved my phone back in my pocket, a little disappointed that the conversation with Penny had ended. I went to the bar and had another shot before bidding farewell to the bride and groom and then my parents.

When I finally reached my room, I quickly undressed and climbed into bed, stroking myself to my half-assed images of Penny. I had no idea what she looked like, with the exception of long hair but every time I neared release, the image changed into Bella and I tried to force them away. Finally, I gave up almost ten minutes later and imagined myself bending Bella over my couch as I pounded my cock into her. This resulted in me having one of the most forceful orgasms I could ever remember. As good as it felt, it was somehow tainted and I felt full of remorse.

**BPOV**

The two weeks after the gallery showing were, to put it lightly, dull and boring. I spent most of the time hanging out in Jasper's bookstore because apparently he and Alice couldn't keep their hands off of each other. They'd gone out ten times in the last fourteen days and I was glad that Alice had found someone that she actually enjoyed spending time with outside of her bedroom. PBW had been out of town and although I had chatted with him a few times, it wasn't nearly as much as we usually talked and most of the time it was through email on my phone. I felt childish for missing our longer chats online, but I felt like I was missing one of my close friends.

There was one other person I felt like I was missing. Edward. He went home for his cousin's wedding and he had been gone for two weeks. We'd only been talking for a few days, but he was just so easy to talk to. He scared me, because I didn't just feel physical attraction towards him, I also felt emotionally attracted to him. I felt like we could be best friends. I wanted to push anything other than friendly feelings for him away. I needed to lock it up in a drawer and throw away the key.

Monday morning I strolled into Common Grounds only to find Edward wasn't there. I had thought he was back in town, but to my disappointment there was no sign of him. I had to admit that in the past few days, I had a recurring dream where I would walk into Common Grounds and find Edward waiting for me, his newspaper in hand and two coffees on the table in front of him. He smiled at me that gorgeous crooked grin and I would melt on the spot. The dream never went any further though, much to the disappointment of my girly bits.

I headed over to The Bookshelf and as I walked past the front window, I saw Alice and Jasper sucking face. It looked like they were trying to swap tongues and I couldn't help the disgust and envy that I felt. Thankfully, the small bell above the old style wooden door made them aware that someone had walked into the store and Alice immediately pulled away from Jasper, making that disgusting kissing sound that made me want to gag.

"Al, you do realize that you have a home, right? Every time I come in here you're trying to suck his face off," I said with a small laugh as they both turned to look at me with shameless looks on their faces.

"Oh, she knows. She just finds all of these books are such a turn on," Jasper answered for her as he gave Alice a devilish look. I needed to get away from that front counter as soon as possible before the muffin I'd eaten at the coffee shop ended up on the floor of Jasper's bookstore.

"Don't you have a shop to run yourself?" I added as Alice frowned at me slightly.

"I've got Rachel working there this morning. It's been kinda slow, so I took a break Mom," she replied snidely before narrowing her eyes at me.

"Oookay then. I'll be buried in the world of books. See you guys later," I said skittishly as I walked briskly over to the back of the store and searched through the mystery section. Mysteries were not normally my thing, but I had been looking through almost every other section during the last two weeks and I needed to change it up a bit. There were actually a couple of books that didn't sound half bad, so I made a mental note to come back and get them when I actually had more than three dollars in my pocket.

"Excuse me, miss do you by chance have a copy of 'Grimm's Complete Fairytales'?" I heard a woman's voice ask form behind me. I turned to face her and saw that she was a friendly looking middle-aged woman with thinning blonde hair and small bags under her eyes.

"I… um," I was just about to tell her that I didn't work there, but I knew where Jasper would probably have that book. She looked like she was probably shopping for someone and I had been helping enough people over the last couple weeks. Combined with all of the time I had been spending here, I was confident that I could help her find what she was looking for. "Let me check," I told her with a smile. I led her to the other side of the store to the collector's section and started looking for the book she had asked me for. My fingers danced passed the rows of books until I found the collection of Grimm's Brother's fairytales that she had been looking for, pulling it off the shelf and handing it to her.

"Thank you dear, you were a great help," the woman told me. I thanked her and told her she could pay for it up at the front counter and I continued my browsing in the collectors' section. I loved looking at all of the intricate designs on the books. A few moment later, I heard the woman say goodbye to Jasper and Alice, and not a minute later, the small bell on the door rang again.

"Well, well look at what the cat dragged in," I heard Jasper say in a sarcastic tone to whoever had walked in.

"Hey Jazz, Alice," I heard the velvety sound of Edward's voice say as the door clicked shut. I wanted to go and say hello to him, but something told me to stay where he couldn't see me. "I was looking for Bella. I went over to your place and Rosalie told me I might find her here." I jumped slightly at the sound of my name and soon the shelves of books that were next to me were all but forgotten as I listened to what he was saying.

"Why are you looking for her?" asked Alice, clearly prying for information and knowing damn well I could hear them talking since I was mere feet away.

"Umm, it's just been a while since we talked. I'm back from the wedding and wanted to say hi," commented Edward as I heard Alice giggle a bit. Clearly, her time sucking face with Jasper had caused her lose her subtly.

"You wanted to say hi?" I heard Alice scoff.

"Have you seen her?" finished Edward and I could hear a slight frustration in his voice. I'd have to thank Alice later for pissing him off.

"Yeah man, she was just helping some woman over in the collectors' section," I heard Jasper say and my heart immediately started to pick up speed as I heard footsteps approaching the back of the bookstore. I whipped my head back and forth frantically looking for something to make me look busy. My hair was whipping against my neck as I moved my head back and forth and I finally turned back to the shelves and began browsing through the books again, trying to look occupied by anything other than the man approaching me.

"Hey stranger," Edward said from behind me. I smiled to myself, subconsciously excited that he was back in town, and turned around to face him.

"Hi," I said quietly. I swear there was something about this man that took away my entire ability to form a coherent sentence. It was like he made my dopamine levels go all silly.

"I tried to catch you at Common Grounds, but Margaret said you had already been there this morning. Then I tried your place and Rose said you would probably be here," he said in one long breath. He sounded nervous too. I was relieved that at least I wasn't the only one who was nervous.

"Well, here I am," I said awkwardly, yet again unsure of what to say to him.

"Yes. Here you are," Edward repeated as he moved to stand next to me and began looking at all of the different books on the shelf. Jasper's collectors' section wasn't all that big considering the size of his store, but the books he did have were decent ones. He had quite a few Jane Austen novels, some Shakespeare and not to mention a pretty nice copy of The Three Musketeers.

"Nice shirt by the way," he commented as he pointed towards the grey t-shirt I was wearing that said 'Take a picture, it will last longer.' When my eyes went up to look at his, I couldn't help but notice that his deep green orbs were staring right at my chest. I was certain I blushed twenty different shades of pink as I got a little bit excited that he was staring. "Would you let me take a picture?"

"Huh? What?" I stammered out as he awkwardly fiddled with the strap around his neck. "Oh, you have your camera with you. You always seem to have a camera with you when I see you," I said as I gave him a questioning look. Before I knew what was happening, Edward raised the camera up to his face and I heard the click of the shutter as he took a picture of me. I scowled at him for a moment, but decided not to argue with him about it because there was really no point since he was carrying a film camera. I didn't know why, but I admired that he used film.

"It's fine Bella. I never know what I'm going to see in a day, so I prefer to always have my camera on hand," he commented with a smirk as he dropped his arms and settled the camera back against his chest. His fingertips happened to skim the bottom of my jean shorts and his gentle touch made me shudder. His hands against my skin felt like a shock of electricity and I wanted more. I felt like I needed more, but I didn't know what do to.

"So, um… did you need anything?" I asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"No, not really," he said, sounding distracted by all of the books on the shelves. "I was just hoping to catch you at the coffee shop, and then when you weren't there…" he paused for a second. "I just wanted to talk to you. I missed our talks in the morning while I was away," he said succinctly as I stared at him in disbelief. He was still looking at the books rather than me, so I was pretty much gaping at him. When he finally did turn to face me, his mouth was curved up into a small half smile and I couldn't take my eyes off his chest in the tight red t-shirt he was wearing. My eyes then trailed upward and soon they were glued to his lips.

Without thinking about what I was doing, I put my hands on Edward's shoulders, leaned forward and kissed him. I stood on my tiptoes, the thick straps of my Birkenstocks straining against my feet as I felt Edward's lips relax against mine and he placed his strong hands on my hips. I parted my lips and he took my top lip into his mouth as I sucked gently on his bottom lip. My thoughts immediately flashed to PBW and I felt a strange sense of remorse, but I couldn't imagine why the hell I would feel bad about kissing Edward because of PBW.

I opened my eyes quickly, wondering how the hell we had gotten here. I saw Edward's eyes were closed and one of his hands was moving up to my face. I tightened my grip on his shoulders and gently pushed away from him. I couldn't do this, not with him.

Edward looked at me with surprise and disappointment in his eyes. "Did I-"

"No, no. It's not you. I know that sounds like some cheesy line from a movie, but I promise, you did nothing. I just…" I took a deep breath and turned around on my heel, walking back up to the front of the store. I felt bad about leaving him there, but I couldn't explain what I had just done to myself, let alone to Edward.

"Hey Bell," Jasper said as he and Alice looked up from the book they had been reading. I smiled tensely at him and I could see Alice look at me from the corner of my eye. She knew something was up and I didn't think I would find a way out of telling her that I had kissed Edward. "What did you do to poor Edward?" he asked teasingly.

I heard Edward's footsteps behind me once again and I really hoped we weren't going to talk about this in front of our friends. Actually, I really hoped that we wouldn't have to talk about what had just happened at all. I just wanted to forget it, but the tingling that was going on in my lips was warning me that that probably wasn't going to happen. I glanced towards Edward and saw that he looked a little bit flustered.

"She was just wowing me with her knowledge of the classics," he said and I thanked him silently.

"Oh yeah? Jasper here should offer you a job Bella. You've been doing more work around here in the last two weeks than he has," Alice said with a small giggle as Jasper rolled his eyes at her and kissed her sweetly. Edward looked at me awkwardly and I smiled shyly. I was beginning to feel horrible for what I had just done, but I didn't feel bad about kissing Edward. Instead, I felt bad that I had pushed him away.

"Ha ha very funny Alice," I said sarcastically, trying to take the tension away from the air that had formed between Edward and I. "Maybe if you didn't shove your tongue down his throat like you were searching for the lost city of Atlantis, he could get some work done."

"Oh Bella, I'm having my annual Fourth of July bash this weekend. You should come. I know Emmett already invited Rose and of course Alice will definitely be there," Jasper said excitedly a she pulled Alice to his side.

I giggled at him, because he was totally the type of guy to get excited about throwing a party. He was definitely prefect for Alice. "Sure, I'll be there."

"You're in man, right?" Jasper asked as he nodded his head towards Edward.

Edward looked at me and his eyebrows were scrunched in confusion as if her was torn between two things but couldn't make a decision. His expression softened slightly and he turned towards Jasper. "Yeah, I'm in."


	9. A Taste of Honey

**A/N: Yeah, we're back. Early too! Can you believe it? We've both been on a crazy writing jag lately and have been able to get done a lot more than we thought possible, so it's time to reap the benefits.**

**In fact, we have written so much lately, on Monday you can swing on by The Fictionators website www . ficitionators . com and you will find a teaser for the next chapter. CPW will also be posting it on her blog the following day. So, go follow The Fictionators and find more MIFFY.**

**Big thanks to the usual crew, MaggieMay14 (Happy Birthday Sweetheart!) for doing an awesome job as Beta. Risbee, ARenee363 & kikikinz for helping encourage this madness and all you readers who make us smile with your awesome reviews. We must love you guys since this is our longest chapter EVER.**

**We don't own Twilight, but we do have 'Sweet Caroline' from Glee on our playlists. Please don't ask when they will find out who their online counterpart really is. It will be a while. Just enjoy the ride. – CPW & FLB11.**

**BPOV**

Friday night, a couple of days after my embarrassing kiss with Edward in Jasper's bookstore, I sat down at my computer with my Mike's Hard Lemonade. I immediately wondered if PBW was around and to my delight, his screen name popped up on my contacts list. I knew he would be able to take my mind off of my situation with Edward.

_PennyLane84: Well, well lookie who's here. How was the business trip PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: Hey Penny. Business was… well, you can imagine. I thought of you a lot, though._

I stared at the screen for a minute. Why had he been thinking about me during a business trip? I didn't know if I liked that fact or not. I mean, I had thought about him a lot while he was gone, but I had also spent a lot of time thinking about Edward_. I was so screwed._

_PennyLane84: Oh yeah? I thought a lot about you, too. It was a couple hellish weeks around here._

_Paperback_Writer: I know what you mean – I felt like I was gonna go berserk. What's got your panties in a knot?_

I giggled at his comment, nearly showering my white laptop with my drink in the process.

_PennyLane84: What makes you so sure that something is affecting my panties?_

_Paperback_Writer: Umm…._

_PennyLane84: Nah, I'm just screwing with you PBW. It's just this… guy, but it's so stupid it's not even worth talking about._

_Paperback_Writer: Do I have to hurt someone, Penny? __If so, you are gonna need to send me a picture of this guy. I don't want to accidentally rip the head off the wrong guy, cause that would be bad._

This time I did choke on my drink and I spent the next minute coughing my brains out as I tried to compose myself again. The fact that he offered to hurt someone for me was, although a little creepy and violent, really kinda adorable. _Since when do you ever find anything other than kittens and sea otters adorable?_

_PennyLane84: __Sorry, PBW. You had me choking on my drink. No head ripping will be necessary. I don't even know why I'm stressing over it._

_Paperback_Writer: __So he doesn't mean anything then?_

I stared at the words on my screen for a few moments before responding. Why the hell was I even talking about this with PBW of all people? Was I deliberately trying to scare him away? _He is the only person I felt confident in telling my secrets to, that's why._

_PennyLane84: __Nope. Not a thing :)_

_Paperback_Writer: __So… did you watch The Big Bang this week?_

_PennyLane84: __Where Raj works for Sheldon??_

_Paperback_Writer: __No, where Raj works WITH Sheldon._

_PennyLane84: __Hahaha. Sounds like you'd be the perfect candidate for that job PBW._

_Paperback_Writer: __You know it. I bet I could handle Sheldon. Bazinga!_

_PennyLane84: __I think you just like saying 'bazinga'_

_Paperback_Writer: __Yep, you got me._

I was all of a sudden curious as to how his trip went. I wanted to know if he had met anyone while he was away, since he hadn't given away any feelings in regard to my troubles with Edward, not that I had given him much of a chance.

_PennyLane84: __So PBW, did you meet anyone special on your trip? I'm curious as to what kept you so busy while you were gone._

It took him a minute to respond and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

_Paperback_Writer: __I didn't actually. It was boring, I did what needed to be done and didn't really do much else. I wasn't lying when I said that I spent most of my time thinking about you._

_PennyLane84: __How did you think about me?_

Again, another long wait. I didn't know why I was asking these questions, but I felt like I needed to know. My heart was beating out of my chest and I took a long swig of my lemonade as I waited impatiently.

_Paperback_Writer: __I thought about how I missed talking to you every day, how it is crazy that I could be this attached to our conversations. I imagined a lot about you too. What our conversations would be like when I got back, what you look like, what you were wearing when we did finally chat again…_

_PennyLane84: __Would you like me to tell you what I'm wearing now?_

_Paperback_Writer: __Fuck yes._

As if on cue, my cell phone rang. I let out a loud huff and sauntered over to my purse and started digging through the abyss of old receipts, lipsticks and spare change to find my phone before I missed what could possibly be an important call. Of course, it was Alice.

"What do you want, pixie?" I answered angrily as I let out another huff, which she could clearly hear.

"Jeez, were you napping or something?" she asked defensively.

"No, I wasn't actually. I was just… busy. What do you want?" I asked, trying to hurry her along. As much as I loved Alice, I was more interested in getting back to my conversation with PBW than listening to her ramble on about how Givenchy made better dresses than perfumes.

"I've got a few dresses picked out for you to wear to Jasper and Emmett's Fourth of July party tomorrow night. Care to come choose one?" she asked happily. Damn, she had the worst timing. _Ever._

"Sure, Al. I'll be over in like fifteen minutes, okay?" I said, looking over at my computer remorsefully. Now my girly bits were tingly and there was no hope for them. I didn't even have enough time to take matters into my own hands. Why did I say fifteen minutes? I should have said an hour or three. _Fuck._

"Yay!" Alice squealed in to the phone so loud, I had to take it away from my ear so it didn't bust my eardrum. "Bye Bella."

"Goodbye, Alice." I hung up the phone and dragged my sad little feet back over to my computer.

_PennyLane84: __Fuck. I'm so sorry PBW, but I have to go. My roommate needs me._

_Paperback_Writer: __Damn. Everything okay?_

_PennyLane84: __Yeah, everything is fine. Sorry, again._

_Paperback_Writer: __It's okay Penny. Maybe next time?_

_PennyLane84: __Oh, definitely next time. Trust me when I say that I am just as… disappointed as you._

_Paperback_Writer: __Ha ha ha. Night, Penny._

_PennyLane84: __Night PBW._

I slammed my laptop closed, slipping on my Birkenstocks and began my trek over to Alice's store. I hoped that Jasper wouldn't be there when I arrived, simply because I didn't know if Edward had told anyone about our kiss. It would be just my luck that he had mentioned something in passing to Jasper and when I showed up, Alice was actually planning to interrogate me. When I walked into the store, I was relieved to find only Alice standing behind the counter fiddling with her cell phone, seeming oblivious. I guess Edward didn't say anything to Jasper.

"Hey Al," I said as I strolled into the store. Alice grimaced at my outfit, a baggy white tank covered in large stars paired with a pair of denim Bermuda shorts. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. You know you wouldn't have this problem if you just let me pick out your clothes," she said snidely. I glared at her and I think it scared her off, because her eyebrows lifted and then she smiled at me apologetically. "Sorry."

"It's okay Al, I think it's funny. So, what do you have for me?" Alice went into the back room and came back with four garment bags. Only four? That wasn't as bad as other times she had insisted on dressing me, I could handle trying on four dresses.

The first one she pulled out made me grimace. It was a plain sleeveless dress with a black rose print. "Just try it on Bella," Alice reprimanded. I huffed and went into one of the changing rooms, stripping off my shirt as I went. She had already closed up the store for the night, so I didn't have to worry about anyone wandering in to find me half naked. I tried on the dress, and it was surprisingly… sexy. It fit my body perfectly, but I just couldn't deal with the rose print, it made me want to vomit. Actually, it looked like someone already had vomited on it.

Alice squealed in excitement when I stepped out from the dressing room, but I quietly shook my head, earning an angry look from her. When she showed me the next dress she had selected, this time the angry look was on my face.

"You do know that you were picking a dress for me, not you, right?" I asked as I gestured to the plain-looking blue sleeveless dress. The only decorative thing it had on it was a lace overlay covering the bust. It was definitely not my style.

"Just try it on, Bella. You might be surprised," Alice said in her peppy little voice. I growled at her and grabbed the dress, once again grimacing as I looked at myself in the mirror.

"It's too short!" I lied, calling out to her from inside the tiny fitting room.

"Bullshit, Bella. Let me see it."

I dragged my feet over to her and watched her eyebrows scrunch together as she studied me. "Next," she said without even commenting on how the dress looked.

"Thank you," I said in a praising tone. She pulled out the next dress, which was considerably better, but I wasn't sold on it. It was black and dark blue plaid with a solid black waistline. I tried it on and I actually liked it, but I was still curious to see what else she had.

"Just show me the dress, Alice," I begged after she had tried to convince me to choose the one I was wearing. I couldn't understand her. First she was so eager for me to try on all of the dresses, and now she wouldn't even let me look at the last one. "I'll leave now and dress myself," I threatened.

"You are _so_ difficult Bella." I scoffed at her words and pulled the zipper down on the last garment bag.

"Oh my god Alice, I love it!" I said as I pulled out the v-neck, pleated multi-colored dress. It was absolutely perfect. It was sleeveless and showed off my arms really nicely.

"I know," Alice sighed, but she smiled, because I knew all she really wanted was for me to wear a dress that I actually liked. I glared at her playfully, knowing that she had kept this dress for last because she knew it was perfect for me.

"Thanks Al," I said and leaned over the counter to kiss her cheek before I ran into the dressing room to try on the dress. It fit like a glove and I was actually excited about wearing it to the party. I didn't even bother walking out to show her, because I was sure she would just grimace at me. I put my clothes back on and helped Alice put the other dresses I had tried on back into their garment bags.

"Hey Alice, what was with all the blue?" I asked curiously. Every dress, save for the one that I had picked, had been blue and I wondered if there was a reason for that.

"It's um… Edward's favorite color," Alice said shyly, which really said something because Alice was never, ever shy.

"What the hell did you just say?" I asked angrily. Why the hell would she care of it was Edward's favorite color? Was there some sort of scheme going on that I didn't know about? Were our friends trying to get Edward and me together?

"I asked Jasper what Edward's favorite color was the other day when I was at the bookstore. Rose and I talked and we think that you and Edward would be good together," Alice said all in one breath, as if she were bracing herself for the wrath that would surely follow.

"Alice, stay out of it. Please. I hardly even know Edward and I'm not really sure that we would be all that great as a couple. I like just being friends with him." _Yeah, except I kissed him the other day and it was the most amazing kiss I've ever had. Not to mention the tingly feeling in my lips that wouldn't go away for hours afterwards. Oh yeah, and he is the most attractive man I've ever seen and he makes me want to squeeze his ass every time I see him._

"Whatever you say, Bella. We know you, that's all I'm saying," Alice said as she held up her hands in surrender. However, knowing Alice the way I did, I didn't think this was going to be over for her. She was stubborn to a fault.

I helped her close out the front register and lock up the store before we headed back to the house. I was so glad to finally be home once we walked in the door that I had almost forgotten my earlier conversation with PBW. We had once again become dangerously close to getting physical… well, physical with ourselves anyway. The fact that we hadn't gotten the chance to left me feeling both disappointed and relieved. I didn't know if our relationship would change if we ever took that step, and I would be lying if I said I was scared it would get weird and eventually end because of it.

Instead of fretting over PBW, I went to bed thinking of Edward and just like every other night since our kiss in the bookstore, I came to the same conclusion. I would be lying if I said that I regretted kissing him. I felt so drawn to him, like there was nothing that could stop me from being near him, from sensing his presence in a crowded room, from talking to him, from being his friend. I just didn't know if I could handle any more than that and I didn't want to find out.

The next night, after a whole lot of hair pulling and face prodding from Alice and Rosalie, we found ourselves on the way to Jasper and Emmett's apartment for their rooftop bash. I was excited to see the fireworks from the rooftop this year; in all my time in New York City, I had never seen fireworks so close before.

When we arrived at the party, Edward was already there, which was to be expected. He was standing in the living room talking with Emmett and Jasper. His eyes caught mine immediately and I smiled at him and waved. It took him a moment to reciprocate, but when he did, I swear the air around him got brighter when he smiled and waved back at me. He was wearing a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of dark beige cargo shorts and flip flops. _Stop staring and stop thinking about how fucking sexy he looks._

When Alice, Rosalie and I finally made it over to the three men standing together, it was like the sea had parted and Edward and I were left standing in the middle of it. Rosalie made her way over to Emmett and Alice practically ran over to Jasper. Before I knew it, Edward and I were standing there facing each other as all of our friends sucked at each other's faces.

"Hey," I finally breathed. I figured I should be the one to break the silence, since I hadn't seen or spoken to Edward since our kiss the other day. I had been purposely going into Common Grounds later the past two mornings, just to avoid the situation we were having right now.

At least there was alcohol in this particular venue.

"Hey. Do you want a beer or something?" Edward asked, sounding a little nervous.

"I'd love one, thanks," I said as we walked over to where the coolers were sitting. Edward opened the squeaky cooler lid and pulled out two beers, tossing his empty bottle into the recycling bin that was conveniently located right next to the coolers.

Edward popped open each bottle and handed one to me. "Cheers," he said as his gaze kept mine. Who needed fireworks when you could stare into those emerald eyes all night long?

"Cheers," I replied as our bottles clinked together. After a few moments of uneasy silence, Emmett, with his arm draped over Rosalie's shoulder, came booming over to us.

"Okay, Baby Bell. Rosie and I are having a little debate. We were discussing the craziest places we've had sex and she still insists that hers is better than mine," Emmett slurred. Sheesh, it was only seven and Emmett was already on the verge of being smashed.

"He says that doing it on the observation deck of the Empire State Building is crazier than doing it in the handicap stall in the women's bathroom at Bed, Bath and Beyond," Rosalie explained. My eyes bugged out of my head a little when she said that Emmett had sex there, but I quickly recovered as I realized that she was just trying to work him up.

"Well obviously yours beats Em's, Rose," I said, playing along.

"What?" Edward chimed in. I giggled a little at his obliviousness and winked at him, hoping he would catch on. He smiled at me his gorgeous crooked smile and I almost kissed him again until I realized where we actually were.

"Alice, Jasper!" I called out to our friends who were on the other side of the room talking to a few friends of Jasper's. They excused themselves and made their way over to the four of us.

"What's goin' on?" Jasper inquired as he placed his arm around Alice's waist.

"Where is the craziest place either of you have had sex?" I asked as I motioned between the two of them and watched Jasper laugh before taking a sip from his drink.

"Last week. In an elevator with Jazz," Alice said nonchalantly. We all laughed as Jasper gaped at Alice in shock.

"That was the craziest place you've ever had sex, Ali? I'm glad it's not just me," Jasper said with a loud guffaw and I decided to avoid taking a sip of my drink, in fear that everyone would get a shower of beer. Alice nodded and kissed his cheek before moving on.

"What about you, Bella? Rose and I know the answer to this one, but we want to hear it again," Alice said through short bursts of laughter. I took one more swig of my beer before answering, afraid that I wouldn't get another chance for a while.

"In a car on a road trip with an old boyfriend," I said casually, with a shrug of my shoulders. Rose and Alice looked at me expectantly and when they saw I wasn't going to continue any further, Rosalie chimed in.

"In Intercourse, Pennsylvania," Rosalie said before our entire group was roaring with laughter. Tears were forming in my eyes as I grabbed Edward's bicep for support, because I was officially doubling over in laughter.

"What about you, Edward?" I asked once everyone had calmed down slightly.

"Oh, now I have to say mine after that?" he said with a light chuckle as he sipped his beer. I found myself staring at his lips again and remembering what they had felt like against mine just a few days earlier.

"Yep," I said as I looked over and Emmett and Jasper who looked like they were holding in some serious laughter. "Go on," I encouraged him.

"Fine. A couch," was all he said before I tried my best to hold in the giggles, to no avail. They escaped and I shook my head in apology, because no one should be ridiculed for that. Our eyes met again and he smiled at me gently. I could have gotten lost in those eyes all night.

**EPOV**

When she walked into the room over an hour ago, I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I knew tonight was going to be rough. After the flirty conversation with Penny the night before, and now Bella looking so damned hot, I was being pulled in two different directions and not really liking how I felt about it. Part of me really wanted Penny, even without having met her, but there was a part of me that felt inexplicably connected to Bella. I was balancing precariously on the edge of a sword and I knew sooner, rather than later, I would be done for unless I made a decision.

I had showed up earlier in the afternoon for the party, needing some sort of council with my friends about my issues. Needless to say, Emmett wasn't much help.

"_So, Rosalie finally agreed to be my girlfriend," Emmett said the moment he opened his apartment door. No 'Hello, how are you doing Edward?' Not that I expected any less from Em._

"_Well, congrats. You must have her seriously snowed," I laughed as Jasper came out from his bedroom in a pair of shorts and a loose fitting t-shirt. He pulled two beers from the fridge and wandered over to me, handing me one in the process._

"_What? I don't get a beer?" pouted Emmett as Jasper and I took seats on the couch and we both looked at him with surprise._

"_You fucking live here, get your own damned beer," retorted Jasper as he turned back to look at me. "What's wrong with you? You look practically suicidal." I ran my fingers through my hair and took a big swig of my beer before Jasper looking at me with that all-knowing smirk of his. "You like Bella huh?"_

"_Is it that obvious?"_

"_Is it obvious Emmett is a dick? Don't answer that," added Jasper as Emmett lifted his head up from the fridge, having heard his name in our conversation. Thankfully, he just went back to what he was doing and left me and Jasper to talk. "Listen, after spending the last two weeks with her practically living in my bookstore, she even alphabetized some of the sections, I know she likes you. I'm just not sure if she likes you as more than a friend or not."_

_This was exactly what I was thinking. After Bella bolted after our kiss, which was fucking amazing, I began to worry she didn't see me as anything more than a buddy. It sucked to know Jasper thought the same thing. "She kissed me when I saw her in the store the other day."_

"_Who kissed you?" asked Emmett as he came over to sit down with us in his battered old recliner. He had a bag of pretzels and a beer with him and seemed downright cheerful. "Was it Baby Bell? Cause if I wasn't with Rosalie, I would totally go for her. She's got this tight ass and…"_

"_Emmett, shut the fuck up," I yelled back him, a little frustrated that he would even make a comment like that about Bella now that he was dating Rosalie. "Anyways, I was trying to say that she kissed me in the store the other day when I got back from Chicago and it was really nice. Too bad she bolted after that and we've hardly seen each other since."_

"_She kissed you?" asked Emmett with a wide smile. "I would take that as a sign that she liked you, dude."_

"_Okay, so say she does like me, here's the problem I am having," I began to say as I started to get nervous. I wasn't really keen on the idea of telling the guys about Penny, but I had to talk to someone. Surely Emmett had juggled two women before and would have some sort advice, no matter how idiotic. "I like Bella, a lot. However, I've kinda been chatting online to a girl named Penny for a few months and it's growing to more…"_

"_Define more," said Jasper as he looked at me intently._

"_Are you fucking your computer?" shouted out Emmett as I groaned loudly and withheld the urge to smack the shit out of him. "Is that even possible?"_

"_No, I am not fucking my computer asswipe. We're not having cyber sex either, though I desperately want to. I want to call her and make a date with her and see if she is as sexy as I think she is." I felt pathetic for pouring my heart out to these guys, but at least I seemed to be getting a sympathetic vibe from Jasper. "She's just so easy to talk to and the kind of girl I always imagined myself being with, but when I picture her… I picture Bella."_

"_You are so fucked dude," said Emmett as I growled angrily at him and took another long drink of my beer. The silence in the room after this was deafening and I could tell that Jasper was trying to think of something logical to say, to no avail. "Why don't you just continue with both of them and see where things lead?"_

"_Do you honestly think he should lead on both girls?" countered Jasper as I scratched the back of my neck, wondering the same thing myself._

"_Why not? I've dated two girls at once. Don't you remember Sarah and Christina? Damn… I knew my downfall was the moment I tried to get them into bed at the same time." I shook my head at his stupidity and watched as Jasper began to argue with him over my fucked up relationships._

"_You are the last person who should be giving relationship advice," scolded Jasper as he then stole the bag of pretzels from Emmett and began eating them greedily._

"_Why not? I've got a girlfriend."_

"_That you have had for a total of seventeen hours. Once she realizes how big of a doofus you are, she'll run for the hills. Anyways, Edward needs real advice and my advice is to tell Penny about Bella and vice versa. Maybe Penny is emotionally unavailable. Since Bella kissed you, she seems interested. I would go for the tangible… and that is Bella."_

Even now, as I stood there listening to everyone discuss their oddly located sexual conquests, I felt unsure of how to proceed. Jasper, having noticed my awkwardness, elbowed me in the arm to get my attention. "Don't get so emo over everything. Just enjoy the night or I might have to taint punch you. This is a party and we're getting drunk, so get to it."

Without warning, Rosalie suddenly moved towards the count and began to fumble through the oversized purse she had brought with her. "You aren't putting it on now are you?" asked Alice cryptically as all of us guys looked at each other a little confused.

"Why not? Pretty soon we'll be moving this party to the roof to have dinner and watch the fireworks, so let's get this over while I'm still sober enough to enjoy it," stated Rosalie as she moved towards the big flat screen TV, which was Emmett's pride and joy. We all took seats on the couch and recliners, eagerly awaiting whatever it was that Rosalie wanted to show us. "I found this in my store the other day and knew we had to watch it."

"Holy fuck, my girl is letting us watch porn," exclaimed Emmett excitedly as Rosalie slipped the movie into the DVD player and I suddenly got uncomfortable. Who the fuck wants to watch porn with their friends around? Mind you, if it was Bella and I together and alone, watching porn, it would be a different scenario.

Rosalie went through the menu on the screen to find the chapters on the disc and specifically put on Chapter 7, which seemed to piss off Emmett, who thought we would be watching the entire thing. We all sat there staring at the screen wordlessly, waiting for something to happen, before someone finally decided to say something. "Is there a point to this Rosalie?" asked Bella, who clearly wasn't in on whatever was happening.

"Yes. Now just shut up and watch. This is a really good movie," giggled Rosalie as we all turned our heads back to the television and the couple fucking on a couch in the middle of the living room. There were the usual noises, grunts and groans and then suddenly the doorbell on the movie rang.

"Holy shit," said Emmett as he jumped from his seat and tried to swipe the remote from Rosalie, who was now running around the room like a mad woman.

Sure enough, on the screen, the door was opened and there on the other side stood Emmett holding a box of pizza.

"Who the fuck would order pizza if they were going to ravage each other like bunnies on the couch?" asked Bella, which made me break out into laughter.

"Who the hell would care about the sex when Emmett just walked into the scene holding the pizza?" questioned Jasper, as we all broke out into raucous laughter, pissing off Emmett. Bella's eyes grew wide as she looked at the screen again, finally recognizing our friend on the screen. "Is this Cunt Hardly Wait? You told me about the porn you made back in the early days, but I didn't believe it actually existed. I thought you were just drunk when you told me."

Emmett didn't say anything in response, but finally managed to turn off the TV. Bella and Alice were in hysterics over "Did you join them?" asked Alice. "Cause if you got it on with that guy, I have to turn that shit back on."

"Was his cock crooked?" Bella asked nervously as I looked at her in shock. "What? It looked crooked."

"Oh no, it's even better," gushed Rosalie with a wide smile on her face. "He just stands there and watches them, rubbing his hand over his polyester delivery boy pants in the process. It's fucking priceless."

"Well, I am glad you are enjoying my embarrassment," said Emmett as he finished his drink and came to stand in front of all of us. "My name is Emmett. I'm disgusting and I make low-budget adult films."

"Low budget is an understatement. I think I saw the boom mike on like five different occasions in the three minutes we watched the skin flick," I added with a laugh as Emmett came over and smacked me on the back of the head.

"Did you get nominated for an AVN award for this masterpiece? Best cameo performance or maybe even Best Rub Job?" asked Bella, as I sat there a little shocked at her bold joke. I think I was even more shocked that she knew about the AVN awards and I began wondering what else she knew about the world of porn. That was a discussion best saved for a later date, when we were alone and preferably naked.

As the laughter at the expense of Emmett finally died down, Jasper shuttled us all up to the rooftop patio, which had been the big selling point when they had moved in. Of course, until tonight, it had hardly been used unless you counted the time Emmett decided

The boys had set up some lawn chairs and even strung a set of patio lanterns to give the place a little ambiance, which made me laugh a bit. I sat back in one of the loungers and stared up at the sky, as I twiddled my thumbs aimlessly. The guys had gone back downstairs to get the food and the girls were all chatting happily amongst themselves. I didn't even hear anyone come over until I felt the chair I was sitting on depress a bit.

"Why are you here all alone?" asked Bella casually as she lifted one of her feet and rested it beside me, her bare leg looking oh so smooth and tempting.

"I'm just relaxing. It's been a hectic week," I lied. Well, it had been hectic in my brain where I was trying to decide who I wanted more, Bella or Penny. "It was a long two weeks with my mother."

"Don't even get me started on my own mother. She puts Hitler to shame," said Bella seriously, her face practically turning to stone. I couldn't help but feel myself smile as I realized we shared the same displeasure with our mothers.

"Mine is overbearing and spent most of the time I was in town trying to hook me up with eligible women, in the hopes I would move back to Chicago," I admitted as Bella immediately pursed her lips.

"You're not moving right?" she inquired, as my heart swelled. Did she not want me to leave? Did she want me like I wanted her?

"Nope. I'm not going anywhere," I said simply, berating myself for the small mental freak out I just had. Without warning, Bella suddenly pushed me over on the lounger and climbed in to sit beside me, our bodies touching and making me a little jumpy and horny.

"Back to our mothers… mine once tried to hook me up with a boy, completely forgetting he was my second cousin. I was kinda squicked out by the one."

"What the fuck does 'squicked out' even mean? Are you making up words?" I asked with a laugh.

"Absolufuckingloutely," she added as I felt her hand move against my chest and I wanted to pull it lower on my body. I was certain she was only doing it to get comfortable, since the chair wasn't exactly like lying with her in a king sized bed, but it would have to make do.

"My mother once brought home a prom date for me, on the night of prom, because she thought the girl I was already going with, who was in our living room at that very moment, wasn't good enough for me," I said to her as she quirked her eyebrow and broke out into the sexiest fucking laugh.

"My mother wouldn't let me ride a bike because she thought I would go over a bump and lose my virginity," she finished and I held up my hands in defeat. If I had a white flag I would be waving it as fast as I could.

"You have me beat in the crazy as shit mother department," I said as our quiet was broken by the sounds of Emmett and Jasper ascending the stairs, arguing about the cut of the meat they had bought. Bella was quick to get off the chair and go back to her friends, which disappointed me a bit. I was thoroughly enjoying her body against mine and i It didn't hurt that she smelled fucking good too.

Dinner went by casually and we enjoyed each other's company, telling random jokes and stories about all our years in college. Alice confirmed for me that Bella had in fact stolen her beloved Princeton sweats from someone, but it was an ex-boyfriend, not some random student, as she had made me believe when I first met her at Common Grounds.

The evening slowly turned dark and by then, we were all simply drinking on the roof, awaiting the fireworks to start over the river. That had been one of the bonuses of having their apartment where they did; they got an awesome view of the Hudson River. Every year they have fireworks that go off from one of the boats in the river and Emmett usually uses the moment to romance some woman, tonight's being Rosalie.

Both couples were cuddled up, waiting patiently for everything to start and after I got my latest beer, I grabbed one for Bella too and went over to join her, on the lounger we had been sitting on before. "Beer for your thoughts?" I asked as I handed it to her and she let out a small smile, accepting the beer.

"Isn't the term usually 'A penny for your thoughts'?" she asked as I nodded my head, before suddenly being reminded of Penny. I wondered for a moment about what she was doing with her friends tonight before remembering that I had a sexy girl a few feet away from me. I decided to follow Jasper's advice and was determined to enjoy myself. My enjoyment was increased tenfold when Bella scooted over on the lounger and patted it, signaling for me to sit beside her.

"I don't have a penny to offer you, just a beer," I said lamely as I took the seat and Bella peeled her beer from my hand. Without my permission, she suddenly grabbed my hand and wrapped it around her shoulder so that she was more comfortable. "Is that better?" I asked, somewhat anxiously.

"Much."

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" I asked, trying to find something to talk to her about, while also keeping my mind on something other than my growing erection.

"Yeah. Emmett's a little daunting, but I like him nonetheless. He will be good for Rosalie."

"I think you have that the other way around. Emmett needs a girl like Rose to taint punch him every now and again to keep him focused," I said with a laugh as I took a swig of my beer and I noticed Bella staring at my lips.

I then found myself staring at hers, so pink and plump, looking downright delectable and I didn't even think. I cupped her cheek in my hand and leaned forward, kissing her firmly and without remorse. Our lips moved together effortlessly, languidly and when I opened my mouth slightly, I was surprised to find her tongue already waiting for me.

She let out a small groan as I sucked it into my mouth and it simply encouraged me further and a moment later, my hand was wrapped around her, her tight ass clenched in my grip. I pulled away from her a moment later to get a bit of air and was happy to see a smile brighten her face.

"Emmett, are you eating again?" shouted out Rosalie, sounding downright disturbed.

"Rosalie, it's because I'm a McCarty, and this is what we do! I mean, we may be not great thinkers, or world leaders, don't read a lot, or run very fast... but damn it, we can eat!" he shouted as him and Rosalie walked by, looking at Bella and me curiously.

Then, as if on cue, the fireworks started going off in the distance and Bella jumped up from the lounger to go and watch. She stood a few feet in front of me, with a great view of fireworks and I couldn't help but find myself wanting her even more. I stood up and went to stand behind her, my hands on her hips and she leaned her head back against my shoulder, as I wondered to myself if we could stay like this. Forever.


	10. Happiness is a Warm Gun

**A/N: Once again, we are speechless at the outpouring of support this little story has gotten. The ladies of FanFic truly do rock! We have a ton of shit we want to say, but we're saving it till the end, thinking that you guys would rather get to the good stuff… right?**

**We don't own Twilight, just dirty minds and a solid plan for these two crazy kids.**

**BPOV**

"Alice, I don't know what to do," I slurred as I made my way over to her and draped my arm over her shoulder. I was pretty trashed and I knew it, but after my second kiss with Edward, I had really given into the power of the drink.

"Whoa, Bella, how much have you had to drink?" she asked as she began to support my fumbling body before I fell. I had tripped over my own feet on my way over to her. "What do you mean you don't know what to do?"

"I'm really drunk," I said as I burst out into laughter and was momentarily distracted by the liquid swishing back and forth in my beer bottle. I gulped what was left of my beer until my lips popped off the bottle with a loud suction sound. I looked down at the bottle and noticed that it was empty.

"Empty. Sad."

"Okay then, Bella. As long as you don't get up and start yelling 'super cool party people' again, I'm all good," Alice said with a laugh as I stuck my tongue out at her.

I wasn't _that_ drunk.

"Edward is a good kisser. A really, really good kisser. Did you know he's a good kisser Ali?" I asked as I got up in her face and puckered my lips, feigning to kiss her. I knew I didn't want to tell her or Rose about the kissing that had been going on between Edward and I, but like I said, I was giving in to the power of the drink. It was pretty much out of my hands at this point. I couldn't stop the word vomit that was coming out of my mouth if I tried.

"Okay, Bella I think it's time for us to get you home," Alice said as she grabbed my hand and we went to get Rosalie. They both said goodbye to Emmett and Jasper, but I couldn't find Edward anywhere and I found myself desperately wanting to say goodbye to him.

I left Rose and Alice as they were saying their farewells to their significant others with their tongues and hands, and went to go find Edward. I didn't see him anywhere on the rooftop, so I decided to go check inside, eventually finding him in the kitchen where he was sitting at the island casually sipping his beer. "Hey," I said quietly. He looked like he was thinking about something and I didn't want to scare him. Although, just seeing him sitting there seemed to sober me up a bit and all I wanted to do was kiss him again.

"Hi," he breathed, smiling at me just like he had after our kiss, which took my breath away. "Are you okay? Your eyes are all glassy. Are you sure you can make it home alright?" he asked genuinely, as he got up from his stool and made his way over to me. I stumbled back quickly, afraid of what I would do if he got too close, even though I desperately wanted him to. I wanted his hot breath against my neck and his lips against mine. Images of us together began to run rampant through my mind before I shook the thoughts from my head.

As I tried to rid myself of my most recent erotic fantasies about Edward, I almost fell as I staggered backwards and the next thing I knew I was in Edward's arms. He held me for a moment, his forearms wrapped tightly around my waist and I held onto him, listening to our shallow breathing. "Thank you," I responded, feeling a little out of breath and more than slightly embarrassed. His arms slid off of my waist and he stilled me, making sure I was firm on my feet. Well, as firm as I could have been considering how much I had to drink.

"Be careful going home. Please," Edward whispered. I was about to respond to him, telling him that I would be just fine, when we were interrupted by loud footsteps entering the kitchen.

"Come on Bella, let's go," Alice said as she appeared in the kitchen. I turned towards her and gave Edward a remorseful look, silently telling him that I wished I could have stayed. He nodded at me and we waved goodbye tentatively to each other.

I was too busy thinking about the second kiss I had shared with Edward that I could barely focus on anything else on our way back to the apartment. _That kiss._ My god, if I thought the first one was amazing; the second completely left that one in the dust. I wasn't sure how far we would have taken it if we hadn't been interrupted, but I really didn't want to think about that. For a brief second, that kiss made me reconsider my self imposed embargo on relationships.

"She's smashed, Rose," Alice chuckled as I managed to trip over my flip flop on our way home. "She even told me that she kissed Edward before," she continued as she and Rose both burst into laughter at my expense. Was there something about me kissing Edward that was so utterly hilarious? I certainly didn't think so.

"That would be the day," Rosalie chimed in. I glared at both of them angrily because they obviously didn't believe that I would kiss Edward. Who would not kiss Edward given the chance? Crazy broads.

"Excuse me," I mumbled loudly. "Edward kissed me at the party, but that was after I kissed him in the bookstore," I said, motioning with my fingers as though the air in front of me was a timeline. I watched as both Alice and Rosalie's mouths flew wide open in shock.

"Alright, Bella," they both said in unison.

"You can call Edward to confirm this little itty bitty piece of information, if you don't believe me," I said as I held up my hand and showed a small space between my thumb and forefinger.

"Okay Bella, maybe I will," Alice commented as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. I immediately started to panic, because I just wanted them to believe me, I didn't want to parade the fact that Edward and I had kissed around our whole circle of friends.

"No! Please, don't." I said as I felt my voice get thick with tears. I was so emotional about the kiss and I really did not know why, and it scared me.

"Okay Bella, it's okay. I won't," Alice said as she rubbed my shoulder soothingly. I wanted to kick myself for acting like this because it was completely ridiculous and now there was no way they would believe me. I didn't want everyone in Manhattan to know Edward and I had kissed, but I also didn't want my friends thinking I was some drunken lunatic either. Thankfully, that was the last of that conversation.

Once we had walked into the apartment, we each went into our separate bedrooms, but I staggered clumsily into my bedroom and changed into my pajamas. I knocked over a couple of trinkets and a photo frame from my dresser as I tugged on my clothes. Once I was finally done wrestling with my shorts and tank top, I sat down at my computer and was surprised to find that PBW was online. _What a mighty nice surprise indeed!_

_PennyLane84:_ _Hey stranger. Glad to see you around so late, I can't sleep._

_Paperback_Writer: Me either. Isn't alcohol supposed to make you pass out? LOL_

_PennyLane84:_ _That happens to me all the time, PBW. I feel your pain. I'm going to be up for a while. Care to entertain me? _

_Paperback_Writer: What did you have in mind? Did you want me to do a little dance? Perhaps play a round of online scrabble? Did you feel like discussing the history of the Beatles and their kooky ass haircuts? How about we just discuss regular stuff like umm… how was your Fourth, Penny?_

_PennyLane84:_ _Are you high? Sorry but no, that's not the kind of entertainment I was looking for. How about you tell me what you're wearing?_

_Paperback_Writer: I can be wearing nothing in about 2 seconds._

_PennyLane84:_ _Sounds good to me._

I didn't know what the fuck I was doing. I was practically _asking_ PBW to have cyber sex when not twenty minutes ago I was thinking about the kiss I'd had with Edward at the party. Fuck, not two hours ago I was actually kissing Edward. _What the fuck is wrong with you, Swan?_

_Paperback_Writer: Tell me what you're wearing, Penny_

_PennyLane84:_ _A skin tight tank top and short shorts, just for you PBW._

I quickly picked up my computer and scurried over to my bed because it seemed like this would be much more comfortable to do in a bed, than in my desk chair. I knew that Alice and Rosalie were most likely both passed out by now. If they weren't, they would have come running in when I knocked the picture frame to the ground earlier. I let out a small sigh, felt my girly bits tingle a bit and decided that if I was going to do this, then I was all ready to.

_Paperback_Writer: I'm only wearing my boxers, just for you Penny._

Oh sweet lord. Bring it on PBW.

**EPOV**

I took a deep breath and stared at the screen while hand stroked aimlessly against the fabric of my boxers. The night had taken such a drastically different turn than I had anticipated when I had arrived home. Sitting here talking to Penny, with images of Bella going through my mind, was making my cock harder than I ever thought possible.

_PennyLane84: What are you doing over there?_

_Paperback_Writer: Rubbing my cock_

My hand smacked firmly against my forehead as I felt a bit of regret at telling her this. Since when did I ever get so damn bold with women I didn't truly know? Then again, she didn't know me from Adam. I could pass by her everyday and I would never know it. I rubbed my temple firmly and decided I needed to take this chance and just live for the moment. What could it hurt right?

_Paperback_Writer: I'd love to be buried between your thighs right now though. Lapping at your sweet, wet pussy._

_PennyLane84: God, there are so many things I would do to you if you were here right now._

_Paperback_Writer: Like what?_

If I was with her, I would be on my knees begging for her to talk dirty to me. I couldn't help but think it was a little easier to express our dirtiest thoughts while we spoke online.

_PennyLane84: Where are you sitting PBW? A chair, the couch, your bed? Set the scene for me baby._

_Paperback_Writer: I'm sitting on my bed with my laptop perched beside me as I grow harder with your every word._

_PennyLane84: Well, I would move that laptop out of the way and crawl towards you, completely naked._

_Paperback_Writer: Oh fuck. I bet you have gorgeous tits._

_PennyLane84: I do PBW, I do. I bet you would love to have them in your hands or your mouth, wouldn't you?_

_Paperback_Writer: More than I could ever tell you in words._

**BPOV**

I was in the middle of peeling my tank top off when I saw his reply. The fact that he was telling me that he wanted me so much was driving me insane. I pinched one of my nipples in between my fingers and began tweaking them, causing me to moan as I imagined it was him doing it to me. It still surprised me how much I wanted this man so desperately, yet I had never met him.

I lowered my free hand down to my clit and began rubbing slow circles around it through the fabric of my panties. When I closed my eyes and tried to imagine PBW on top of me, the person who popped into my head was Edward. He was the man I most wanted physically and I let myself believe that was why I kept picturing him doing those things to me.

I realized that I hadn't yet given him a picture of what he wanted to know, so I quickly began typing.

_PennyLane84: Well, how about you envision my long brown hair dragging along your stomach as I kiss my way from your lips to your cock, which I bet is just aching with want. I'd love to touch you right now, to feel you in my hand and then in my mouth._

_Paperback_Writer: Jesus._

**EPOV**

Knowing that her hair was long and brown helped my image of her, but again and against my better judgment, I saw Bella. I tried to force the thought from my mind and decided to give up after a few moments, because I needed to get release more than I needed to make a decision about the two women who plagued my mind constantly.

_Paperback_Writer: I'm imagining your pink lips wrapped around my cock. I bet you would do an excellent job of pleasing me._

_PennyLane84: I don't know PBW. Depends on if you like it when a girl runs her tongue all over your dick, basically worshipping you, all the while using her hands to rub your balls. Do you like that PBW?_

"Fuck yes," I screamed out to the empty room as I yanked my boxers from me and grasped my cock firmly in my hand, stroking it from base to tip at a decent speed. I looked down at the screen and groaned when I realized how hard this was going to be to type and rub one out.

_PennyLane84:_ _Are you stroking your cock?_

_Paperback_Writer: Yes_

_PennyLane84: That makes me so fucking wet PBW_

_Paperback_Writer: Fuck, that makes me even harder. I wish I was there to rub your clit. Do it for me. Rub yourself for me Penny. Pull those panties off and circle your finger around your clit baby._

I couldn't help the term of endearment that slipped from my fingers and I didn't care, especially since she had used it moments before. At this moment, I wanted her more than anything.

_PennyLane84: I want to see you on your back, with me straddling your face. I would love to suck you off as you thrust your fingers deep inside of me and lick my pussy. _

_Paperback_Writer: Fuck, I need to taste you so badly Penny_

_PennyLane84: Please… oh god, please taste me._

**BPOV**

I was now sitting naked in my bed with one finger rubbing my clit and two fingers from my other hand buried inside my pussy. I began pumping them in and out, adding a third finger and closing my eyes, imagining that it was Edward's strong hands inside of me.

I envisioned him between my legs, his tongue desperately plunging inside of my wetness as he rubbed my hard clit with his thumb, pinching it between his forefinger every often, making me cry out in pleasure. I would thread my fingers through his thick hair, tugging gently as I arched my back, calling out his name like a religious chant. If Edward pleasured a woman as well as he kissed, I would be in major trouble if we ever took things beyond their current awkward friendship stage.

I took a break from my ministrations and looked over at the screen, when I saw the words he had typed I let out a loud moan and rubbed my clit even harder.

_Paperback_Writer: I bet you taste sweet like honey, don't you? _

I decided to get playful with him, hoping that my next actions would spur on more of his dirty talk, which was making me ache and drip with desire. I stuck the fingers that had been buried inside of my pussy into my mouth, sucking on them so I could tell him how I tasted.

_Paperback_Writer:_ _Penny?? Are you here baby?_

**EPOV**

There was suddenly a long pause and I began to freak out. The power was still on, so at least I didn't have that to worry about. Was she turned off by what I had said? Was she even still there?

_Paperback_Writer:_ _Penny?? Are you here baby?_

_PennyLane84: Sorry, I was checking to see if I tasted like honey. Mmmm, even better than the sweetest berry on the vine babe._

_Paperback_Writer: Oh Jesus Christ. Did you lick your fingers?_

_PennyLane84: Actually I sucked them, like a lollipop._

_Paperback_Writer: The image of you sucking on your wet fingers is the sexiest thing I can imagine. I am certain you look fucking sinful right now. Legs spread wide open with your fingers inside of you. Do you have any toys?_

_PennyLane84: Yes_

_Paperback_Writer: Go get them. I'll be waiting eagerly._

**BPOV**

I tripped over my own feet as I tried to get up from my bed and ended up falling face first onto the floor. I laughed at myself and my drunken state and before finally picking myself up off of the floor. I went into my closet, where my new and previously unused blue Rabbit vibrator sat inside its box. Rosalie had brought it home from the store one night, insisting that it was better than anything she had ever tried before and lord knows, she had tried them all. I picked it up from inside the box and laughed out loud at what I was about to do for a complete stranger.

He didn't feel like a stranger though. It felt like I'd always known him, even if I didn't even know his real name. I sat down on the bed and repositioned myself as I had been earlier, legs spread and desperately wishing he would come through the door to fuck me.

_PennyLane84: Okay, what do you want me to do with the toy PBW?_

_Paperback_Writer: Mmm… rub it against your clit. I like to tease you a little bit._

I did as he said and turned the vibrator on, running it teasingly over my clit, sending sensations all the way down to my toes, which were now curled tightly and pressed against the bottom of my feet. I slowed after a few moments so more of his words could spur me on further.

_PennyLane84: Oh yes… tell me more_

_Paperback_Writer: Now ease it inside of your tight hot cunt. Do what I tell you to do Penny._

Again, I did as he instructed and eased the vibrator inside of me, all the while closing my eyes yet again and thinking of Edward lying on top of me, easing his dick inside of me. I moaned out loud again, trying not to scream.

_PennyLane84: I am. Fuck me… you feel so fucking good PBW_

_Paperback_Writer: No trust me; it is you that feels good sweetheart. Your pussy is like a vice grip around my cock, squeezing me firmly._

**EPOV**

I hadn't stroked myself in a few moments, so even though my cock was standing at attention, I grabbed my lube from the top drawer of my nightstand. God, I needed a girlfriend so that this shit could take a back shelf to all the self love I had been forcing upon myself lately. I honestly don't think I had jerked off as much in the past two years as I had in the past two months.

I put a small squirt of lube in my hands and began to stroke myself again, the ease at which I tugged on myself feeling so fucking good. I rolled my eyes back in my head and that was when I noticed a new message from Penny.

_PennyLane84: Fuck me hard PBW… just fuck the hell out of me._

I picked up speed on my stroking, rubbing the head of my cock and spreading the pre-cum that had formed there against me, not that I needed the extra lube on my shaft. Even though it was all from my hand, I couldn't help but envision Bella before me, on her hands and knees trying to get me off. I was officially perverted and didn't give a shit.

_Paperback_Writer: I'm grabbing your ankles and spreading your legs wide as I ram my dick into you as hard as I can. I want you screaming my name over and over again, moaning for more as your headboard bangs loudly against the wall._

_PennyLane84: Oh fuck yes… tell me more… fuck me with your words._

_Paperback_Writer: With your ankles on my shoulders, I'm bending you forward, pressing my body against yours so I can get your nipple into mouth, sucking and biting it as I slam into you as hard as I can. Who owns that pussy Penny?_

_PennyLane84: Sweet Jesus… you do. You own it. You own me PBW. I'm coming… fuck me until I come all over your cock baby. Oh god…_

My breathing became erratic as I neared my precipice, my cock throbbing like never before as she made her declaration. Sure they were just words on the screen, but I never had cause to not believe her before. There was a sudden silence in our typing and I stroked myself two more times before I finally let loose, all over my stomach.

I grabbed the box of Kleenex, which had been abused more than my poor cock lately, and cleaned up the mess before turning back to my laptop.

**BPOV**

_Paperback_Writer: With your ankles on my shoulders, I'm bending you forward, pressing my body against yours so I can get your nipple into mouth, sucking and biting it as I slam into you as hard as I can. Who owns that pussy Penny?_

I picked up speed with the vibrator, desperate for release and as soon as I saw PBW's words, it sent me over the edge. I imagined Edward's body pressed against mine, fucking me so hard that my headboard was actually slamming against the wall, like PBW had envisioned. I imagined Edward's mouth on my breasts, sucking and biting at my nipples, trying to make me come for him, telling me to come _for_ him.

_PennyLane84: Sweet jesus… you do. You own it. You own me PBW. I'm coming… fuck me until I come all over your cock baby. Oh god…_

I pumped the vibrator a few more times before I came, covering it with my juices. "Oh, Edward," I moaned, before I even realized what I was saying. I felt horrible for imagining Edward while having cyber sex with PBW, but it was one of the best orgasms I'd ever had, so I didn't really care at the time. The release I had just achieved was more than worth the confusion.

_Paperback_Writer: Are you still here?_

_PennyLane84: That was…. _

_Paperback_Writer: Amazing? Stupendous? Best cyber sex you've ever had? Feel free to stroke my ego_

_PennyLane84: I think parts of you have been sufficiently stroked tonight, don't you?_

_Paperback_Writer: I'm not against a second round. I am a virile twenty something male, I have stamina… and a sexy as fuck partner who manages to get me hornier than I ever thought possible._

I laughed at how casual we were both being about what had just happened. I felt so grateful that it didn't get weird and that neither of us had bolted right after the fact, leaving the other in the dark. I was happy that he seemed to enjoy himself as much as I did, and it eased my guilt about the fact that I had been thinking about Edward the entire time.

**EPOV**

_PennyLane84: You say the sweetest things. LOL_

_Paperback_Writer: Did you really have a toy with you?_

_PennyLane84: Yeah. It was a new one that one of my friends gave me._

_Paperback_Writer: You have friends that give you sex toys? I love your friends._

_PennyLane84: Yeah, their boyfriends seem to like them too!_

_Paperback_Writer: I wasn't implying…_

Suddenly I felt like an ass. Did she think that I wanted her friends the way I wanted her? Shit, after that epic wank job, I didn't think I ever wanted anyone else… well, maybe Bella. I ran my fingers over my mouth for a moment as I recalled the soft feel of Bella's lips against mine while we were sitting on Jasper & Em's rooftop. God, I was such a girl sometimes.

_PennyLane84: I never thought you were PBW. I was just joking._

_Paperback_Writer: Oh… thank god._

_PennyLane84: I don't think I would share you with them anyways._

_Paperback_Writer: Possessive are we?_

_PennyLane84: Only with my things. _

_Paperback_Writer: Do they know I exist? Do they know that you we talk online?_

_PennyLane84: Do your friends know I do?_

_Paperback_Writer: Yeah, I told them tonight, while we were together for the fourth._

_PennyLane84: My friends know too. They caught me smiling at the screen one day during one of our early chats and have been teasing me ever since._

I couldn't force back the grin that crossed my tired face as she told me about how she smiled at her computer monitor. It was both sexy and adorable.

_Paperback_Writer: Well, I hope they didn't tease you too bad._

_PennyLane84: Nothing I can't handle, although they do think you are my online boyfriend, so that can be a bit awkward at times._

_Paperback_Writer: Yeah, I can see how that could suck._

_PennyLane84: I never said it sucked, I just said it was awkward. They are always trying to hook me up with these stupid guys who they think are perfect for me, but I'm just not interested in something serious. We… we just work._

_Paperback_Writer: I agree._

_PennyLane84: I hate to suck, fuck and run, but I have to be up early. It was… so fucking good. Thank you._

Sadness soaked through my body when I realized she had to go. I didn't want her to leave, but then again, I had no real claim over her either. I couldn't help but wish that she was here with me right now though, spooning in my bed as I rubbed her clit to orgasm again, my dick aching against her ass. Fuck, I bet she had sweet ass. Bella has one fine fucking ass, I thought to myself as I pushed the image from my mind and stared at my keyboard, trying to think of something to write.

_Paperback_Writer: It should be me thanking you. I've never done that before and let's just say I am not adverse to a repeat performance… as soon as humanly possible._

_PennyLane84: I'll keep that in mind. Now climb into your bed, naked of course, and think of me curled up beside you, my head resting on your chest. This way you can have sweet dreams, wake up hard and stroke that big cock for me again._

_Paperback_Writer: FUCK. Are you sure you have to go? _

_PennyLane84: Sadly yes. Don't worry, I'll be dreaming of you PBW._

With that final message, she logged off and I ran my hand down my face for moment. What the fuck had I gotten myself into?

**A/N: And there you have it… the cyber sex you guys all seemed to be clamoring for! Was it good for you? * CPW fans herself with some papers about mutual funds cause she is currently at work and slacking off like a mofo ***

**Did you know that every year over 200,000 children worldwide are diagnosed with a form of childhood cancer? We cannot ignore this shocking statistic impacting the youth of the world, and we certainly hope that you won't either. We need your help. Starting Nov. 15th, through Nov. 20th, you will have the opportunity to help in the fight against childhood cancer. We haven't set a monetary goal because we're firm in the belief that no matter what we set, you will surpass it.**

**FLB11 and CPW have decided to auction themselves in the Fandom Gives Back Author Auction that is coming up the week of November 15-20th. CPW is offering up three one-shots from any one of her stories (including MIFFY) or a one shot based on the choosing of the winner. FLB11 is offering up her stellar banner series, so make sure you check out the blog. www . thefandomgivesback . com**

**Oh and you should also hightail yourself on over to P . I . C's Fan Fic Corner where the week of November 2****nd**** is flightlessbird11 and coldplaywhore week. There will be teasers from our stories, interviews and lots of fun times. So go bookmark it now: ****http : // picffcorner . blogspot . com/**


	11. Come Together

**FLB11: So we're back again for our usual Sunday update.**

**CPW: Woo Hoo!**

**FLB11: Too many red bulls whore?**

**CPW: Something like that. Anywhoo, don't forget that we are both featured in the Fandom Gives Back Auction which starts on November 15th. FLB11 is offering up her stellar banner skills (check her profile for some of her work including several of my stories, Marked by ARenee363 and Illegal Contact by GreenEyedGirl17).**

**FLB11: and my girl CPW is offering up some written words, 3 one shots I believe, so start counting your pennies people.**

**CPW: LOL... counting your pennies... that's funny. **

**FLB11: Oh and btw, we don't own Twilight, though we do both own the New Moon Soundtrack. Outfits are on our profiles!**

**BPOV**

I woke up the next morning with a headache. Not just any headache though, a colossal, monster, oh-my-god-I-need-coffee-and-a-burrito-right-now headache. My alarm clock read just after 11 AM, so I got out of bed and saw the blue vibrator sitting on my nightstand. I stared at it, horrified for a moment as the memories of the night before came back to me in a flood of vivid flashes. I groaned and picked up the offensive toy, throwing it back into my closet. I couldn't believe that PBW and I had actually had cyber sex last night. I knew the only reason that I had gone through with it was because I was so drunk the night before, otherwise I just definitely would have chickened out.

I slowly dragged my feet out of my bedroom and was assaulted by the smell of eggs and coffee coming from the kitchen. I wasn't sure if the smell was appealing or nauseating at the moment, but nevertheless I kept shuffling towards the kitchen, my slippers scraping lightly against the tile floor in the kitchen when I arrived.

"Good morning sunshine!" Alice beamed once I reached her standing over the stove.

"Uhhhh," was the only reply I could manage. Alice giggled at me and nodded her head over towards the kitchen table.

"There's a burrito and coffee from Common Grounds over on the kitchen table," Alice said, and as soon as I heard the words come out of her mouth I darted over to the table, desperate to feel the warm burn of the coffee in my throat.

"Thanks Al," I replied. I lifted the cardboard cup to my face and inhaled, smelling the mouth-watering latte before taking a sip of the delicious liquid and sitting down, grabbing my burrito, eager to stuff my face. I suddenly remembered all that had happened last night, including the fact that I had gloated to Alice and Rose that I had kissed Edward and vice versa. I didn't know if I should say something to Alice and my nerves got the best of me as I sat at the table, fingering the foil wrapping that was encasing my burrito.

"How are you feeling this morning? You were so drunk last night, Bella," Alice said with a small laugh as she turned the stove off and slid the eggs she had been cooking onto a plate. "How's the memory?"

I didn't know what to say. Did I really want them to know?

"Umm, a little hazy, actually," I lied, looking down at my coffee and taking another sip before peeling the foil off of my burrito. I was going to leave it up to Alice to say something about what I had told her and Rosalie the night before. If they wanted to discuss it, who was I to deny them? Although I would probably dodge almost every question and plead the fifth if I had to. I took a huge bite as I nodded my head at Alice when she sat down, unsure of how to continue the conversation.

Alice took a large bite of her eggs before she continued. "You told me and Rose that you and Edward kissed. Twice." Alice definitely did not beat around the bush. I didn't want to lie to her, so as much as I didn't want to, I told her about Edward and I… and the kissing.

"Well, I guess I wasn't expecting that," Alice said, finishing up her eggs. I took the last sip of my coffee and crumpled up the wrapper from my burrito, throwing it towards the garbage can. I groaned in frustration when I realized I had missed and I would still need to pick up the wrapper and put it in the garbage. "What are you guys going to do about it?"

"I have no idea, Alice. I know I don't want a relationship, but it's like… every time I get near him… I don't know how to explain it," I said hurriedly as I waved my arms in the air like a complete lunatic. _Crazy party of one… right over here!_ I felt like my brain was all scrambled because I couldn't even figure out why I was physically attracted to someone. _Life can never be simple, can it?_

Nope.

"Oh, Bella, Bella. What are we going to do with you?" Alice questioned as she stood from the table and sauntered out of the kitchen, leaving me alone to drown in my own thoughts.

_I don't even know what I am going to do with myself._

When I managed to get into the shower and then put on some decent clothes, I felt the tell-tale shakes begin again because I was officially craving more coffee. Even though I could always make some at the apartment, there were definitely certain benefits to going up the block to Common Grounds.

What? Their lattes are good. Plus, where else can you get one with all the extra foam? Plus there's all that fresh air. Yeah, that's right. I want to get some fresh air this morning, maybe even clear my head.

Oh, who the hell am I kidding? I was hoping to see Edward there.

Once I was dressed in a small pair of jean shorts and a black lacy tank top, paired with my favorite paint-splattered converse, I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and grabbed my cell phone. As if sensing that I had picked it up, the phone vibrated in my hands a few seconds later. It was a text from Edward.

_Hope you made it home OK. Wanna meet for coffee? – E_

I smiled, because I swear we had caffeine radar for each other's coffee addictions. How else could you explain the fact that we saw each other there every day? I quickly replied to his message and headed out the door.

_Made it home just fine, thank you. I'm headed there now. See you in 10? – B_

_Sounds like a plan. – E_

I walked into Common Grounds and ordered my Café Latte and sat down at a small table by the window. Not two minutes later, Edward walked in, smiled and waved at me before ordering his usual Espresso Macchiato. He sat down right across from me once the drink was in his hands.

"Hey," he said, albeit a little awkwardly. I guess I should have expected a little discomfort after what had happened last night, and suddenly I was overwhelmed with dread. I was afraid of what he wanted to say to me, about how he felt. Fuck, I was afraid of how I felt about him.

"Hey, Edward." I took a large gulp of my drink as he looked at me incredulously. I think I may have moaned out loud at the delicious taste of the hot coffee going down my throat. It was so freaking delicious, I couldn't help it. "What?" I asked, hoping that maybe by some long shot we could relieve the tension.

"Should I leave you two alone?" Edward asked with a chuckle as he motioned between me and the cup of coffee. God, his laugh was sexy. _Shut up, Swan. Just. Friends. You can't let it go any farther than that. It is simply not an option._

"Hey, if I could make love to a hot beverage, this would be the one," I said nonchalantly as I held up the cardboard cup. Edward just laughed at me, shaking his head.

"I might like to see that, actually," he replied. I stuck my tongue out at him slightly and his smile faded as if he were concentrating on doing something as he stared at me.

"Whatever, coffee boy," I said, rolling my eyes before Edward spoke again.

"Bella?" he asked quietly.

"Edward?"

"I wanted to talk to you… about last night," he said as he looked down at his cup of coffee and took a sip. I did the same, simply because I didn't have any information to offer up on the subject. I really needed to straighten my feelings out, but being with Edward… it just felt so good that I never _wanted_ to think about it. I just wanted to be with him. "I don't want it to get weird, because I like you, and I don't want to ruin the friendship that I have with you over a… over a kiss," he said as his eyebrows scrunched together.

I looked up at him and smiled, leaning my chin on my hand, which was resting on my cup. "Two kisses, actually," I said with a small giggle. Edward laughed along with me and as soon as that gorgeous smile broke across his equally beautiful face, I knew I needed to set some sort of rules between us. I didn't want to ruin our friendship by letting it get weird either, so I knew I had to tell him that we should just be friends. "Edward, last night, that kiss… it was wonderful. Both of them were, but I have to confess… I can't be in a relationship right now. It's a long story… but I just can't. I love being friends with you and I don't want to ruin it either." Especially with what was going on with PBW… whatever it was. I was getting confused, mostly because being with PBW was so easy almost like whatever was happening between us wasn't tangible at all.

My heart screamed at me the entire time I was speaking. It said 'Swan, you idiot. You like him and he likes you, just do it. Do. It,' but my head, my head was screaming out with reason, and reason said not to listen to my heart, no matter how tempting its words were. Not unless I wanted to get hurt.

Edward's face fell for a moment, and the he looked like he was concentrating again, so I sat there quietly and let him think. "I love being your friend, Bella. That is what's important to me."

"You're sweet, Cullen. Has anyone ever told you that?" A flow of air that was filled with a sense of relief escaped my lungs. I had never expected this conversation to go so well, but that feeling in my heart was still there, the one that wanted me to jump across the small table and kiss Edward senseless. The part of me that was now beginning to feel empty. I really needed to learn how to ignore that part if I was going to make this work.

We talked for a while after that, the conversation flowed so smoothly and effortlessly that I didn't realize that it was already two in the afternoon and Edward and I had been sitting in the coffee shop for two hours.

"Hey. It's nice outside," I said as I looked outside the large window and noticed that there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.

"Nice observation, Swan," Edward said as his gaze followed mine, out the window and up at the bright blue sky.

"We should go to the park," I said. Then an idea struck me. "We can go by my apartment and pick up my sketchbook. I always love sketching people in the park. What do you say, Cullen? Are you game?"

He looked at me for a moment and then smiled. "Only if I can bring my Nikon," he said as he held his camera up. I didn't even notice that he'd brought it with him, but then again, he always had some camera with him, so I shouldn't have been surprised. Edward reached his hand out for me to take and I took it without a second thought and we left Common Grounds, stopping first at my apartment to grab my sketchbook and some pencils.

Once Edward and I walked into the apartment, I was immediately relieved that Alice and Rosalie were both out, Rosalie was probably at work and Alice was most likely out somewhere sucking on Jasper's tongue or something lower even. While I was looking for my things in my art studio, I noticed Edward follow in behind me and begin looking through a pile of magazines that had been sitting on a table that was next to my easel for god knows how long.

"Bella, some of these subscriptions are from 2006," Edward said with a laugh.

"Hey, if that's a crack at my housekeeping skills... well then, okay," I said lamely as I took the magazines from his hands and tossed them in the garbage can. "Are you ready to go or would you like to inspect the rest of the place in search of some ancient artifacts?" I said as I put my hands on my hips, but couldn't help the smile that spread across my face as I looked at him.

"Come on, let's go," Edward said as he rolled his eyes at me and grabbed my hand again. We walked out the door and walked down to Washington Square Park, where I am sure we would fit right in, Edward with his camera and me with my sketchbook. There were always artists, college students and hippies just sitting in the park, simply relaxing and enjoying the great weather.

Edward and I found a small patch of grass in the middle of the tulips that I just could not pass by. "We have to sit here, Edward. Tulips are my favorite and now that I've seen a bunch of them, I have to sketch them," I said with an evil smile as I sat down, cross-legged on the grass. Edward took a few pictures of the people around us before sitting down next to me and looking over my shoulder at the flower I was sketching.

"That's beautiful, Bella," he commented as I darted my eyes towards him and grinned, without turning my head away from the sketch.

"Thanks," I said shyly. Only Edward could make me shy, which was rare, especially when I was drawing, or painting. I always held such a confident air while I was working, but with Edward near me, I felt so vulnerable and I wasn't sure if I liked that fact.

Edward and I sat in our patch of flowers, sketching and taking pictures. Every now and then I would look over at Edward taking pictures of the flowers. I loved the look of concentration that graced his face when he was taking photos. Particularly the way his tongue would sometimes stick out between his lips as he was trying to focus the picture.

After we had been doing that for a while, we drifted into a conversation that somehow led to us talking about the yoga classes that I had taken briefly last year.

"The headstand portion took a very ugly turn. The good thing was I brought the smug, blonde, pretzel chick down with me. I've since learned that I'm a bit too competitive for yoga," I said as Edward stared at me in disbelief.

"I would say so. I probably would have paid good money to see you take down some leggy blonde," he laughed. I let out a loud chuckle myself and we both fell silent for a moment after our laughter had died down.

I noticed that the sun was getting lower in the sky, so I lay down in the grass because I couldn't see a thing with the sun in my eyes since I didn't remember to bring my sunglasses. Edward lay down with me after a moment and we both just stared at the sky as he once again laced his fingers with mine, and I could not for the life of me find the will to pull away. I was on the verge of falling asleep before Edward interrupted the fluttering of my eyelids as his smooth voice broke through the haze I was in.

"Bella?" he asked quietly. "Wanna go back to my place and maybe watch a movie and order some food?" he asked, and his tone sounded completely innocent, like he was really just a guy who wanted to spend time with me. Nothing more and nothing less.

"Sure," I replied as we both sat up and I finally withdrew my hand from Edward's. I got up and wiped the grass that had gathered on my ass and picked up my sketchpad as Edward made sure he had his camera. We walked back under the giant Washington Square Park arch and headed towards Edward's apartment.

**EPOV**

When we walked in the door of my apartment, which Bella had never seen before, my nerves began to get the best of me, which shouldn't have happened. I'd kissed this girl, fantastically at that, on more than one occasion in fact. So why the hell were my nerves getting to me?

I thought back to our earlier conversation in the coffee shop about being friends. I wanted to be so much more than Bella's friend, but as I sat there and saw the look of sadness in her eyes as she explained her reluctance about being in a relationship, my resolve caved. I wanted to be in a relationship with Bella, or at the very least to work towards that, but I would never go against her wishes if it meant hurting her in the process.

"Did you want to order in? There's a fantastic little Thai place down on Houston..." I began to say as Bella interrupted me.

"Do you mean Maria's Thai House?" Bella questioned as we both broke out into laughter, familiar with the Thai restaurant run by a lovely Italian family. "Last year she offered me cannoli instead of the Po Hang I had ordered because she thought I needed to eat something than her Thai food once a week."

"She once sent me spaghetti & meatballs in place of my order. I enjoyed it nonetheless, but I was really feeling like Pad Thai that night," I joked as the tension in the room melted away. Bella joined me in the kitchen where I pulled out my trusty menu for Maria's and we went through it together, bent over my kitchen island. Bella kept pointing at different things that she wanted, but she couldn't make up her mind. Of course, I didn't mind her indecision because it afforded me a fantastic view of her tits down the front of her shirt. _Hello white lace bra!_

I felt my cock harden as Bella finally threw her hands down against the counter, startling me somewhat. "I think we should order the combination platter of appetizers, and I would like their Pad Woo Sen." I nodded casually as I grabbed the phone and called in our order, emphasizing to Maria that we actually wanted Thai food and not Italian. I heard her curse a little bit in the background, but laughed it off as I ordered my own meal of Pad Thai.

When I finally got off the phone, I found Bella walking around my living room checking out everything. Her hands moved reverently across the framed photos on my wall from my time out on Martha's Vineyard last year. There were different photos of the beach and the water, all in black and white, that I found enthralling at the time and decided to frame. "You're good."

"Yeah, all the women tell me that," I said with a slight smirk as she patted me on the shoulder and laughed.

"I meant the photos butt munch," she said amiably as I looked back up at them, suddenly seeing her and I in the beach shot. I shook the image from my head and tried to focus a bit. "You should do an exhibit or something."

"I'm not that good. I take better photos of people," I admitted as I entwined her fingers into mine and pulled her into my darkroom. I closed the door firmly behind us and turned off the light, my small red light in the room immediately coming on in its place, so I was able to see Bella a bit. She looked surprised when I showed her some of the things currently drying that I had done recently. "That's my cousin Tanya and her new husband Mike," I explained as I pointed to a picture Bella seemed really interested in and she moved her finger over the edge slowly. Her attention turned towards a photo I had of Angela and Ben on the wall and she smiled brightly at it.

"They look truly in love," she commented as I moved behind her, my cock practically against her ass. Was this against our newfound rules of being just friends?

"They are," I said honestly, as I felt Bella shiver as my breath swept across her neck. It was taking all of my willpower not to pull her small shorts off of her body and shove my cock inside of her, rules of friendship be damned.

"Edward," she breathed slowly as she turned around, her nipples hard against the confines of her shirt, and I raised my eyebrows at her curiosity. "Can you show me how to develop a photo?"

I was caught off guard by her request but thought it would be fun, so I grabbed the recently developed roll of film from my drying rack and showed her in detail how it was done. I prepped the negative and had Bella pick the size she wanted the photo to be, then focused the image and exposed the picture.

"Okay, now we just expose the photo for about ten seconds," I told her. Almost immediately after she nodded her head, I turned the exposure off and put the paper in the developer. "Now we put it in the developer for one minute," I said softly as I handed Bella half of the paper and guided her hands as we both placed it in the tray. My hands grazed hers as they lingered in the chemical for a moment. I fucking loved touching Bella.

"Now we put it in the stop bath for thirty seconds," I instructed again as we both lifted the paper and placed it in the next tray. "This stops the photo from developing too much." Bella nodded her head slowly as we both picked up the photo again and placed it in the next tray.

"This last one is called the fixer, which protects the image from being exposed to anymore light. It stays in here for five minutes," I said as I gazed into Bella's eyes. I felt the urge to kiss her, but resisted. I wanted to smudge that line we had drawn earlier today. No, what I really felt like doing was leaping over it. Screw the rules.

Twenty minutes later after rinsing the photo in water, Bella and I were looking at a black and white photo of the Chicago Skyline, hanging from my drying rack that I had taken while I was out of town.

"Edward, that is so beautiful," said Bella as she stared at the glimmering lights of the city, which the photo had captured.

"Thanks, I've done better. I'll have to show you how to develop a photo in color some other time," I said quietly. Bella looked at me and smiled.

"I'd like that." I heard someone buzzing in and figured that it must be the delivery guy, so I went to let him up.

We went out into the main room and as I paid for our food and Bella started to sort through my cabinets to find plates, glasses and cutlery. We settled ourselves on the floor of the living room and started to watch the 'Big Bang Theory' marathon that was on TBS, letting the annoying rants of Sheldon and crew fill the air around us. After we had finished, I did the only thing I could think of to keep the night going as long as possible. "Hey Bella, do you want something to drink? I have tequila, vodka, beer, a whole slew of other mixers…"

"Do you have lemons?" asked Bella, with her eyebrow quirked. I stood up from the floor, taking some of the dishes and take out containers with me. I rested them on the counter before I opened the fridge door and was blessed with a vision before me. Someone up there was looking out for me; there were lemons.

"Yep, there's lemons," I called back to the living room, as I grabbed them from the fridge and rested them on the counter. When I closed the door, Bella was beside me standing at my kitchen island, looking eager for me to bring out the booze.

"Okay, get the tequila and the salt and let's get down to business," laughed Bella as she threw the empty cartons from dinner into the trashcan and put our plates into the sink. When I pulled the bottle of tequila down from the cupboard and set it on the counter, Bella was quick to grab it and head back to the living room, getting settled on the couch.

I watched for a moment with awed fascination as Bella crossed and uncrossed her legs, attempting to get settled and I found myself having to hesitate as I felt my cock strain against the confines of my shorts. You'd think that because I jerked off last night with Penny and again this morning in the shower, reliving it all again, that I wouldn't be ready to go. But no, there he was, practically standing at attention. "Are you coming?" called Bella as I turned and grabbed a bowl, tossing the lemons in it as I then pulled out a cutting board and a knife. "Bring the salt and the shot glasses."

"You got it," I called back to her as I slowed my movements, desperately thinking about anything other than Bella or Penny, so that my cock would relax somewhat. When I was finally calm enough, I turned back towards the living room and found Bella removing her shoes, clearly getting comfortable.

"So I think we should make this a little more fun… a drinking game perhaps?" said Bella as she waved the bottle of tequila around a little bit, looking excited about the prospect of getting drunk as hell with me. I nodded my head slowly as Bella stood up and started looking through my DVD collection briefly, until she pulled out a case and tossed it to me. "We're playing the Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back Drinking Game."

"Excuse me?" I choked out as I looked at the case, and sure enough, there was my copy of Jay & Silent Bob. I slid in into my DVD player and got comfortable on the floor, sorting the lemons, shot glasses, salt and other things on the coffee table in front of us. "How does one play a drinking game to Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back?"

"Simple," declared Bella, and I found myself wondering how many times she had played this before. "We set forth certain rules like 'any time there is a reference to any other Kevin Smith movie', we take a drink."

I was getting the hang of her original suggestion, so I made one as well. "Okay, how about 'any time there is a reference to any other movie' we take a drink?"

"See, you are getting the hang of this," declared Bella as she grabbed a pad of paper from my end table drawer, along with a pen, and we wrote down the ten rules we were going to enforce throughout the movie.

We were only forty five minutes and five shots each into the movie, when we decided to cut the rules down to only 5, otherwise we would be rushed to the hospital with alcohol poisoning. Bella and I slammed down our drinks onto the coffee table, both of us letting out a deep breath of relief. "Thank god we didn't choose to drink every time Jay said 'fuck,' right?" I laughed loudly, my volume control clearly being affected by the tequila coursing through my veins. Bella moved closer to me until her head was resting on my shoulder and I was about to push away the stray hairs that had fallen over her face, but she beat me to the punch.

"Did you know Rosa… Rosalie and Alice didn't believe me when I told them I kissed you last night?" Bella slurred slightly, as she turned her head and looked into my eyes. "I told them you were a good kisser and they thought I was blowing smoke up their asses."

"You think I'm a good kisser?" I asked incredulously, my voice echoing around the apartment and over the sound of the movie, which was suddenly the last thing from my mine. "Can I ask what about my kiss was good?"

"Everything," said Bella casually as her hand moved from resting on her leg to working its way along my arm, eventually entwining her fingers in mine. "You have long fingers. You know what they say about guys with long fingers right?"

"Big gloves?" I said with a shy smile as Bella shook her head quickly in the negative. "Do they get carpal tunnel easier?"

"No silly," said Bella as she patted my chest, her hand lingering for a moment before she moved closer still, her lips now right beside my ear as she began to whisper to me. "Guys with long fingers are good at finger fucking."

I spluttered nervously and choked slightly, unsure of how to respond to her statement after being caught off guard. "Oh, I didn't know that," I said awkwardly as Jay referenced Winnie the Pooh in the movie, catching Bella's attention.

"Time for another shot," she stated as she grabbed the salt from the table and grabbed me by the neck, pulling me closer to her before she licked me sensuously. "This time, it's body shots." Bella shook some salt against my neck where she had just licked as I nervously poured the shot for her. I watched slack jawed as she licked the salt from my neck, before drinking the shot greedily and sucking on the lemon fiercely. Fuck she was hot when she was drunk and emboldened. "Your turn babe. Where do you want to lick?"

How the fuck was I supposed to respond to that question without her storming out of the apartment? _Umm… I'd like to lick every fucking inch of you, Bella_, I kept thinking in my head, but I kept my mouth shut for a moment. "What about here?" asked Bella as she pulled down strap on her tank top, revealing her gorgeous looking collarbone to me.

"That's fine, but there's something I want to try," I said as I tentatively leaned down and licked her where she had suggested, shaking the salt out slowly against her creamy skin as she handed me the shot glass. I noticed a small gulp of nervousness come from Bella as she watched me lick her skin and then down the shot. As Bella handed me the lemon, I tapped her bottom lip, opening her mouth to me. I offered up the lemon, which she bit down on as I leaned in, cupping her cheek nervously. I felt the sting of the booze in my chest as I finally stopped being so chicken shit and kissed her again, sucking on the lemon fiercely as our lips met.

I pulled back nervously, taking the lemon with me and discarding it on the coffee table, watching with baited breath for some sort of response from Bella. What I got wasn't what I had expected, although with this girl, I should have known to expect the unexpected.

As Bella let out a small sigh, she suddenly straddled my lap, grabbing my face in her hands as she lowered her lips to mine again, aggressively moving our lips against each other as I groaned from the motions she was making against my now straining cock. My mind was working in overdrive, but I couldn't find it in me to care about anything at that moment other than how she was making me feel, which was simply fantastic. "Oh god you taste good, like tequila and fuck hot man," said Bella, making me moan in appreciation of both her words, and for the fact that her breasts were now pressed firmly against my chest.

"Oh fuck yes," I growled out as Bella pulled back slightly, looking at me with swollen lips and a look of absolute intensity in her eyes. "I have wanted you since the first time I saw you in the coffee shop, dressed like a complete fucking mess." I grabbed Bella's ass firmly in my hands, thanked the lord for whoever made the tiny shorts she was wearing and kissed her again, my tongue plunging into her mouth as though I was on some sort of expedition with Lewis & Clark.

When I pulled back from her, desperate for some air, I thought about Penny for a split second. How the fuck could I do this when Penny and I were doing… shit, what the fuck were we doing? It was just a few hours ago that Bella said she wanted to remain friends and now here she was, grinding on my cock and pulling her shirt off to reveal her lace-covered breasts to me.

_Holy fuck, she's not wearing a shirt anymore. _

"Are you alright Edward?" asked Bella anxiously, pulling me from my thoughts. How the fuck do I answer her?

"Umm… I'm fine. More than fine really," I stated as I gazed down, my eyes focusing on the most perfect set of tits I had ever seen in my entire life. "I'm probably going to regret saying this, but didn't you just want to be friends?"

"I don't know… all I know is that right now… I want you," said Bella quickly, her hands slowly moving underneath my t-shirt as she felt along my taut abs and up to my nipples, which she teased slightly before looking at me with a sad expression on her face. I suddenly tried to imagine how I would feel if I was in Penny's shoes; finding out that the guy she met online liked someone else and fucked her drunkenly one night, with the possibility of many more sexual escapades to come. I would be pissed, but really… what were Penny and I to each other? We were a friend, a confidant and an outlet for sexual release, but we had nothing set in stone. We were definitely not exclusive, and there was no way I was giving up the chance to be with Bella, someone I had dreamed about fucking since the first moment I met her.

Bella looked at me expectantly and I shook all other thoughts from my head. "Whatever you want Bella, that's what I want," I stated as I leaned forward and pulled her bottom lip into my mouth, sucking on it as my hands ghosted up her sides before finding purchase on her breasts, massaging them gently as she moaned from my touch. "What I really want right now, is you naked and in my bed."

Bella climbed from my lap and literally ran up the stairs to my room, with me following close behind her. As she walked into my room, I immediately regretted not cleaning up first, but then again, I wasn't expecting her to be in my room tonight, or any time soon for that matter. Bella laughed happily as she threw all the clothes from the bed onto the floor and then danced across my room confidently in just her shorts. Fuck, she was stunning as she gracefully unclasped her bra.

"This has to go," she stated somewhat loudly as she grabbed the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head swiftly and tossing it with the rest of the clothes onto the floor. I let out a gasp as she bent her head forward and began sucking on one of my nipples as both of her hands fumbled with the buttons on my shorts. Bella was certainly not wasting any time in getting me naked.

When Bella finally let go of my nipple, after one final bite, she began to tug my shorts and boxers down to my ankles, and I stepped out of them eagerly. "This is all a little one sided, don't you think?" I said as I quirked my eyebrow and looked down at Bella, who was still clad in her shorts. She pushed me back with one hand as she unbuttoned her jean shorts and turned around, shimmying them down her lean thighs as she was left standing in just her small boy shorts. "Those go too."

Bella was quick to follow my instructions and I stood there with my mouth wide open as she pulled them down her legs, bending at the waist and giving me a delicious view of her ass and her slit. I couldn't help myself as I dropped to my knees and shoved my face between her legs, spreading her open to me and licking her fiercely as she grabbed the bed in front of her.

"Oh. My. Fuck," she screamed out as my tongue slipped between her wet folds and I felt her body tense around me. Her legs quivered for a moment, but as I pulled away feeling slightly smug, Bella let out a small sigh. She bent down even further, gripping my sheets tightly in her hands.

"What were you saying about guys with long fingers?" I questioned with a grin as I let my index finger and thumb dance around her clit aimlessly for a minute. Bella was panting with desire and was apparently unable to form a coherent sentence thanks to my fingers. "What was it you said?" I repeated as Bella groaned as I pressed harder.

"They know how to finger fuck," she forced out as I shoved two fingers inside her wet pussy, pumping her furiously as she screamed out in pleasure again, her back arching slightly as I pressed my thumb against her clit, desperate to feel her come undone around me. "Oh fuck, I was right… you do know what you are doing."

Bella's words simply spurred me on and I couldn't help myself as I replaced my fingers with my tongue, wanting to taste her when she finally came. There was more panting and several screams of my name, which was the most erotic sounding thing in the world to me, until Bella cursed several times and came undone around my tongue and my thumb that had been rubbing her clit fiercely.

I leaned back on my heels, taking a moment to catch my breath, but Bella clearly had other things in mind. "Stroke your cock for me," she commanded and I did as she asked, taking one hand and wrapping it around my shaft, tugging lightly as Bella climbed onto the bed and watched me, her eyes filled with awe and raw desire.

I couldn't keep going for too long, knowing I would be desperate for release if she kept watching me, so I was relieved when Bella motioned with her hands for me to join her on the bed. "Lay down on your back," she said forcefully, and I found myself throbbing from her words. Bossy Bella was fucking hot as hell, I thought to myself as I did as she asked, laughing slightly when I noticed my cock was standing at full attention for her. "Where do you keep your condoms Edward?"

"Top drawer of the nightstand," I said anxiously as Bella reached over me, her breasts now in my face as I grabbed them and began sucking and massaging, while she struggled to get the tiny foil packet out of the drawer.

"Did you want to suck my breasts or fuck me Edward?" sighed Bella when she had finally grabbed the condom and was now leaning back against the bed.

"Can't I do both?" I asked with a small shrug of my shoulders as her eyes grew wide and she nodded her head eagerly.

"I like a man who can multi-task," Bella declared as she ripped open the package and sheathed my cock quickly, her touch making me ache even more. I watched with desperation running through my entire body as she straddled me and ground her wet folds against my hard cock, teasing herself slowly, until I grabbed her hips and slid her down onto me. Fuck, she was tight, hot and simply exquisite.

I wrapped my arms around Bella's waist and pulled her forward slightly, so that I could show some attention to her breasts as she rode me, her hips rising and falling slowly as she moved up and down on me. "Holy fuck," she cursed out, as I bit down gently on one of her nipples, while my hands gripped her ass, my hips forcing themselves up into her, trying to get as deep as I could. Being with Bella like this was better than I could have ever imagined, and trust me, I had imagined it dozens, if not hundreds of times, most of which involved me stroking myself to orgasm in my shower.

"You are so fucking tight Bella," I shouted loudly, my drunken ramblings most likely heard by the city block I lived in, but I didn't care. Our sex could be playing on CNN right now and I would still be trying to fuck her as hard as I could while she called out my name. "Lean back babe, grab my ankles."

Bella pulled back from me reluctantly, but did as I asked, curving her back slightly as she grabbed my calves instead, putting us into fabulous position for me to rub her clit and fuck her into oblivion. I thrust my hips up again as my thumb and forefinger found her clit, pinching and rubbing vigorously. "Oh fuck, you are so god damn deep Edward. Please don't stop," she called out, urging me to continue. "Never fucking stop."

Unfortunately for me, those words were my undoing and after two more thrusts I was coming inside of her as I pinched her clit. She began milking my cock for all it was worth, my name falling from her lips repeatedly, and so fucking sensually. Bella let out a deep breath as she leaned forward, her head falling against my chest as I watched her back rise and fall from our joint deep breathing.

I reached my hand up and slowly stroked her hair, reveling in the small contented sounds falling from her sweet lips. "I hope you won't think I'm too bold if I ask you to stay the night," I whispered quietly, as I wrapped my arms around her, tightening the hold I had on her. Bella shifted slightly, moving to my side, but never once making me let go of her.

"I don't think I could move if I wanted to," she stated breathlessly as I kissed her temple, desperate to feel close to her, my fingers still running through her hair slowly as she rested her head against my chest, her arm now draped over my bare chest. "But I do think you should pull some covers on us before I freeze to death."

"I think I can manage that," I said with a small laugh as I as grabbed the comforter that was now in a heap at the bottom of my bed and pulled it over us. We immediately resumed our position and I let out a small sigh of contentment, glad for once that I got drunk and had sex. I would have no regrets about this.

Or would I?

**CPW: So, do you want to break the bad news or do I get the honor?**

**FLB11: It's not bad news you know.**

**CPW: Tell that to all of our readers who will be crushed to find out that for the next little while we won't be able to update on a weekly basis.**

**FLB11: Well you know what? I love our readers... but school is more important sometimes and with all my exams, papers and other stuff coming up, I would hate to disappoint them by not having a weekly update, so we're forgoing the update schedule for now.**

**CPW: This doesn't mean updates are on hold, they will still come, just not every Sunday, alrighty?**

**FLB11: I am also planning on finishing my solo story, Someone to Watch Over Me, after all of my exams, so expect a chapter perhaps this week and then more in the beginning of December!**

**CPW: Now click that green button and show us some love!**


	12. No Reply

**Coldplaywhore: See, that wasn't so bad was it? Only a few extra days until we could update. We like to think that the wait was well worth it, and our beta agrees.**

**Flightlessbird11: too bad I wanted to write MIFFY most of the time instead of doing my schoolwork**

**CPW: Believe me sweets, I wish I was writing instead of doing RL work too! In fact, I'm sure a lot of us would.**

**FLB11: I think we should mention Fandom Gives Back, since there is still a few days left and some great auctions, authors and items up for grabs. So rush on over (links on our profiles) and donate to a great cause.**

**CPW: My girl FLB11 has one banner left for auction so rush on over. I sold out of 6 one shots on the first day and the lovely Risbee has requested a one shot from MIFFY.**

**FLB11: Really?**

**CPW: Yeah really. I've seen her idea and all I can say is that it is smuttastic and I hope I can live up to her expectations.**

**FLB11: I'm sure it will be great. Now shut up and let's post this bitch.**

**CPW: Once again, we don't own Twilight, but I will be AWOL tomorrow night with our fucktabulous beta MaggieMay14, standing in line, waiting to watch New Moon.**

**BPOV**

I woke up, slowly opening my tired eyes and realized that it was still dark. I was tired, _really_ tired and my mouth was dry; I was thirsty. I groaned at the slight pain in my head and shifted my body, a little started to feel someone next to me.

_Aaaaand I'm naked. Where the hell am I?_

I felt the hand around my waist squeezing me tighter and I suddenly remembered what had happened last night. What had happened between Edward and I.

_Only the best sex of my life._

I remember the way he'd made me feel, it was unlike any experience I had ever had, sexual or otherwise. I remembered that he'd told me he wanted me ever since that day he first saw me in the coffee shop and I smiled to myself knowing that _I'd_ wanted _him_ since that day. The smile faded as I realized that I didn't have the slightest idea what I had been thinking when I'd slept with Edward. It was completely unlike me to take such a risk, but I couldn't help but feel sudden regret that I would probably never feel that way again.

I needed to feel that way again.

I moved back further against Edward and felt his hardness pressing against my back and I suddenly didn't feel so tired anymore. I adjusted my position so that Edward's erection was now pressing against my ass and I began to move against him, but he beat me to it. Edward's grip tightened around my waist and he was now grinding his growing hard on into my ass.

"Bella," he moaned sleepily. I turned around to face him and realized that he was _still_ asleep, and I was even more turned on by the fact that he was moaning my name as he slept. I reached in between us and felt his hardened cock, ready and waiting for me. I decided I was going to make the most of the rest of this night, not knowing if I could ever open myself up, soberly, to this beautiful man lying next to me.

I kissed his bare chest, swirling my tongue around one of his nipples as I felt his cock grow harder in my hand, but I got very little response from Edward. I started pumping his shaft slowly, taking my time as my lips moved further down his chest. I kissed my way down towards his navel until I reached what I wanted. I put the tip of his cock in my mouth and slowly moved down further until I was taking as much of him in as I could. Edward moaned again and I suddenly felt his hands thread through my hair, making me shiver in anticipation.

"_Fuck_, Bella. You feel so fucking good," he groaned, signaling to me that he was definitely awake now. I hummed around him as his hands tightened in my hair and he began slowly guiding my movements up and down on his length.

I hummed again feeling a little empowered by the feeling it seemed to bring out in Edward, causing his already firm grip on my hair to tighten. A moment later, Edward pulled me off of him, bringing me up to his face and began kissing my neck fiercely. I tried reaching for his nightstand as he attacked my neck with his mouth, but my attempt was quickly squandered when I practically fell off of Edward.

I laughed as I got myself together and reached into Edward's nightstand and got another condom, ripping it open quickly and sliding it onto his shaft. Neither of us spoke as I leaned down and kissed him deeply before straddling his waist and lowering myself onto his cock.

"Mmmm, Edward," I moaned loudly as he grabbed my hips and began moving me up and down along his length. After a few moments he released my hips and Edward grabbed my breasts in his hands and began massaging them gently, as I moved my own body along him, rocking my hips slowly. "Oh, God."

"Faster, Bella," Edward grunted. I leaned forward slightly and placed my hands on Edward's shoulders as I began grinding my hips against his with a newfound fervor. "Fuck, you feel so good around me," he said as he leaned forward and began sucking on my breast, teasing it with his teeth.

I wrapped my arms around Edward's neck as his hips began thrusting upwards to meet mine and before I knew it, I was on my back with Edward hovering above me, his eyes practically black with desire. "Now it's my turn," he growled as his lips once again found my neck.

"Oh fuck, Edward," I moaned as I wrapped my legs around him, my feet digging into his ass, pushing him deeper into me. Edward began pounding into me impossibly faster and I was so close, but I wanted him to come with me. I snaked my hands between our bodies and found my clit, rubbing it quickly as Edward continued thrusting his dick into me.

"Fuck, Bella. You are so fucking hot," Edward grunted before he bit down on my neck gently. I completely let go, coming undone around him as I felt Edward spill into me.

He pulled out of me and we both crawled forward on the bed, back towards the pillows. I laid my head down and felt Edward next to me a moment later, pulling me to him. "Goodnight, coffee girl," I heard Edward whisper to me and he was asleep again in a matter of seconds. I however, found myself draw circles on the back of his hand as I wondered where the hell I had just done. Twice!

When I woke up the second time, my head was pounding and my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. The sun was shining through the window and I tried not to look at it since that seemed to have a negative effect on my headache. Edward's arm was still wrapped around me, so I carefully lifted it from my side and slid out from underneath him, desperate to go to the bathroom and get the hell out of dodge.

I walked to the end of the bed and picked up all of my clothes, putting them on as I found them. I looked at Edward, who was sleeping soundly in his bed and I smiled. The smile quickly faded as I realized what the repercussions of last night would probably be. I knew that I couldn't be in a relationship with Edward, but last night I had just wanted him so badly, I couldn't help myself, and I would have to live with the consequences. I was so angry with myself for letting it get that far. I decided the bathroom would have to wait as I tugged on my shorts, eager to get out of his apartment.

The sex had been worth it though. I hope. Fuck, I really needed to sort out my issues because they were beginning to make my head hurt. I looked at the alarm clock on Edward's nightstand and saw that it was just past nine in the morning. Rosalie would be at work, and I really needed to talk to her. If anyone could talk me down from my ledge, it would be her.

I tip toed my way into Edward's kitchen where I found a notepad and pen, and began scribbling a note explaining that I had to leave and that I was sorry for bailing on him. If I didn't talk to _someone_ about this soon, my head might explode. Then again, it might explode anyway due to the copious amounts of tequila that Edward and I had the night before. I shook my pounding head at myself and put the folded piece of paper on the pillow that I had slept on last night, next to Edward's content sleeping form.

When I left his apartment, I walked back to the brownstone because I was in desperate need of coffee, Gatorade and a shower. There was no way I was walking into Common Grounds as I did the walk of shame because Margaret would know. She always looked at me like she knew all the answers, before anyone even asked the questions. She would know where I had been last night, and that thought disturbed me.

When I walked in the house, thankfully Alice wasn't there to interrogate me about where I had been the night before, because that was something that I just wasn't ready to discuss with her at the moment. I walked into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee, gulping down a bottle of Gatorade while it brewed. Once I had downed nearly the whole pot of coffee, I brushed out my tangled sex hair and stepped into a steaming hot shower.

I t couldn't stop myself from thinking about Edward and what we'd done. I didn't know how to deal with the situation that we'd put ourselves in and most of all, I was disappointed in myself for having sex with Edward while I was doing… whatever it was that I was doing with PBW. PBW was safe and I could handle my relationship with him, but with Edward… I felt too close to him and that scared me. Part of me wished I could have a relationship with him, but the scared little weasel inside of me always won that argument, choosing to protect itself.

I took my time, washing my hair and my body of the events of the previous night. When I was finished, I didn't feel one hundred percent better, but it was definitely a step up from where I had been earlier that morning. I dressed in a red and black plaid corset spaghetti strap top and a black skirt that reached just above my knees. I left my hair to dry on its own and left to head over to Forbidden Fruits to see Rosalie.

When I walked in and saw that there was no sign of Rose, I headed into the back room in hopes of finding her in there. When I opened the door, what I saw was something that I never cared to see. Ever.

Rosalie was sitting on top of the desk, with Emmett's head in between her legs, her head thrown back as her hands worked their way through his hair, clearly encouraging him.

"Oh my God!" I shouted, completely mortified. The heat burned in my face as I turned around as quickly as possible to run out the door. However, my abilities as a spaz completely took over and I tripped on my own two feet as I tried to make my escape. I landed face first on the ground and scurried up as soon as the shock had worn off; practically crawling away from the scene of moaning and writhing that had only stopped at the sound of my shrieking.

I wanted to burn that image from my short-term memory. Bleach anyone?

A few minutes later, after I had been perusing the shop and not really paying attention to anything I was looking at, Rosalie and Emmett emerged from the back room. Looking shameless, of course. I still felt the twinge of embarrassment across my face for having caught them in a compromising position.

"Hey, Baby Bell," Emmett said with a huge grin on his face as they both walked towards me. He even wiped the back of his hand against his face and gave me a sly wink as Rosalie nudged him with her elbow for being a jackass.

"Emmett," I said in a clipped tone as I rolled my eyes at his not so subtle display. "Sorry, Rose. I thought you would be alone, I needed to talk to you about something," I said honestly. Hoping that Emmett might get the hint and leave, but I guess I had been hoping for nothing short of a miracle.

"Could you turn off the AC? My nipples could cut glass over here," Emmett said bluntly as he looked at Rosalie. With that one comment, I wanted to shoot him in the foot or the dick, but I had a feeling Rosalie was enjoying the latter too much for me to do that.

"Emmett, you have about five seconds before I rip your throat out. Get out, and take your dick that is trying to wave 'hello' at Rose with you! I need to talk to her," I seethed as I pointed to Rose, my other hand clenched into a fist at my side.

"Okay, okay. I'm out," Emmett said, backing up and nearly tripping over the stool that was behind him. "I'll see you later, Rosie," he said as Rosalie gaped at me in total confusion. Once Emmett was out the door she finally spoke to me.

"What the hell has gotten into you, Bella?" she asked once her jaw had come off the floor.

"I need to talk to you," I admitted as I placed my palms on the counter in front of me and Rose got behind it, facing me. She sat down on the small stool behind the counter and looked at me with one ey brow raised.

"I gathered that. What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"I slept with Edward," I blurted out, quickly covering my mouth, surprised that I had actually spoke the words. I really needed to invest in a verbal filter. Can you get one of those at Sharper Image? Ooh probably the Sky Mall catalogue, they have everything!

"Finally. Thanks for doing it last night, by the way. It means that I won the bet," she said nonchalantly. I gawked at her with disbelief, I shouldn't have been surprised that the two of them would bet on when Edward and I would have sex, but I was. "Now spill."

I huffed loudly, not letting her get away with the mention of a bet. "We'll talk about the bet later, but I really needed to talk to you about this." I took a deep breath and looked up at her. "We met for coffee yesterday afternoon, and ended up going to the park where we hung out together sketching and taking pictures. He invited me back to his place for dinner and before I knew it, I was licking salt off of his neck and sucking on a lemon from his mouth as we did tequila shots," I said in one long breath.

"Okay, B relax. So who made the first move?" she said as she adjusted herself onto the stool, clearly getting more comfortable as she looked at me expectantly.

"I did, okay? I was so drunk and he was so… gah. Delicious." I couldn't stop the words from coming out of my mouth. I needed help figuring out what the fuck I should do, and I didn't want to lie to her. Rose let out a loud guffaw at my comment and I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. So what does this mean?" she asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know!" I exclaimed as I put my face in my hands. "I can't be with him, but fucking hell last night good, both times." Confessing my sins to Rosalie wasn't making me feel better, but I really hoped that she could help me figure out my shit, regardless of the fact that I was being somewhat cryptic with her. "And now I'm totally confused because of what's going on with…" I couldn't finish the statement. I was so fucked. I looked at Rose, who looked stunned.

"Your online fella?" Rosalie asked, trying to lighten the mood, but really that was the only name she and Alice knew him by. Thank God for that.

"Yes," I said, rolling my eyes at her. "I'm so confused. What should I do, Rose?"

"Well, Bella, I know that you've been mooning over this online guy for a few months now. You seem confused about Edward, so I say you meet up with this guy. Maybe he is no comparison to Edward, maybe he will make you forget Edward's name. You have nothing to lose here, right?"

I realized that Rose had a decent point. I definitely didn't want to lose Edward as a friend, so I needed to do everything in my power to make the right decision. "I guess… I guess I have less to lose with PBW, right? I mean, I don't even really know him, but I do like him. I'll think about it," I relented. Now I was nervous about how I should tell PBW that we should meet. Would he not want to? Fuck, we hadn't even spoken since our cyber sex. Then again I my hands had been full yesterday. God, now I was thinking about Edward's dick again.

"Bella, stop thinking and just follow your gut. What is your gut telling you?" stated Rosalie, as she looked at me with fierce determination in her eyes. God, I wish I had her confidence.

"My gut is telling me to run."

"Run where?"

"Away from both of them. I sit down at my computer and talk to 'him' and I feel a comfort and ease I have never felt before. He's so easy to talk to and just… gah! But then there's Edward, and I honestly think the gods are laughing at me because he is like the physical manifestation of everything I ever thought I wanted. He's handsome, smart, creative and hell, don't even get me started on the things he can do with his… " I was saying as Rosalie held up her hands to silence me.

"That's enough. Too much information from you. Why do you want to run from them?" she questioned bluntly as I closed my eyes and visions of my own broken childhood ran through my mind.

"I don't want to be my parents. I don't want to marry someone and then fall out of love with them. I don't want to stay with someone for the sake of our child. Fuck, I don't even think I want kids," I admitted carelessly as Rosalie looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

"Bella, you can't blame yourself for the mistakes of your parents. They did the best they could, and sure, they might not have loved each other enough, but it didn't mean that they didn't love you."

I hung out with Rosalie for most of the afternoon until I decided to head back home and see if Alice had gotten the chance to go to the grocery store so I could make dinner for us. When I got there, there was no sign of life anywhere in the place, so I settled down and watched a couple of episodes of CSI on Spike. I needed a couple of hours to get my mind off of Edward, and PBW for that matter.

After two hours sitting in front of the TV, I reluctantly got up and turned my computer on. I signed into my PennyLane84 account, but there was no sign of PBW. I hoped he would be on, just incase I lost my nerve and turned off the computer, unable to talk to him. I made some pasta in garlic and olive oil quickly, leaving what was left on the stove for Alice and Rose when they both got home.

When I sat down with my bowl of pasta, I saw that I had a message from PBW.

_Paperback_Writer: Hey You._

_PennyLane84: Hey… I was thinking about you all day._

**EPOV**

I rolled over and stretched, my shoulder aching from the position I had been laying in with my arm above my head. I blinked several times, the sunlight streaming in from the window catching my attention and making me close my eyes again. I let out a low groan when I noticed I was naked. What the hell?

Suddenly, a flood of memories came back to me, which included Bella and I making out in the living room, me going down on her in my bedroom and then us fucking like crazy. _Hell, did I make all of this up?_ I glanced over at the nightstand and saw two empty condom packages. _Nope, it really happened._

So, I guess that dream I had where she was riding me wasn't actually a dream. I smiled to myself and then opened my eyes wider. If last night hadn't been a dream… then where the hell was Bella?

I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I looked around, trying to pay attention to everything around me. My clothes were strewn all over the room, but there was no sign of her. In fact, if I hadn't seen the condom packages, I would think I was still drunk. I reached over to shut off my alarm clock that had started blaring and found a note on the floor, which had fallen from either the pillow or the nightstand.

I practically leapt up from the bed, completely ignoring the fact that I was stark naked and grabbed at the paper, getting a small paper cut on my thumb. "What the hell?" I cursed out loud, suddenly thinking that today was going to suck. Lord knows it wasn't off to the best start already.

I unfolded the small piece of paper and blinked my eyes at the hideous handwriting before me.

_Edward –_

_Thank you, last night was wonderful. I hate to bail, but I have something I need to take care of. We'll talk soon._

_- Bella_

"Fuck me," I shouted at the top of my lungs as I tossed the note down on the floor and began kicking at the air. I felt like such a fucking fool. She had been here, we had amazing sex that I have only ever fantasized about, and now she was gone. I tugged at my hair and marched off towards the bathroom fuming, and feeling the desperate need to take a piss.

When I was done, I hopped into the shower, turning the water on as hot as I could and letting the searing pain from its spray against my body rid me of the memories of Bella. However, no matter what I did, I couldn't escape from my head. Last night had been… unbelievable and finding her gone this morning just made everything feel so pointless. As I turned off the water and stepped from the shower, I grabbed the nearest towel and began to dry myself off as my mind was bombarded with question after question.

Did she regret what had happened? Was she simply drunk and that was why we did it? If there was remorse, we wouldn't have done it twice right?

I grabbed some clothes from my closet and quickly pulled them on, before practically sprinting down the stairs to the front door. I reached for my keys from the counter and ran my fingers through my hair before turning back towards the living room. There were half demolished lemons all over the coffee and an empty bottle of tequila. My DVD case for Jay & Silent Bob sat in the middle of the floor and I was flooded with reminders of the body shots Bella and I had done the night before. The body shots, which led to the no holds barred, crazy monkey sex in my bed. _Twice._

Before I could talk myself out of it, I was slipping on my sandals and running out of my apartment, grabbing my newspaper from the floor in front of my door and barely finding the sense to lock my door. I was desperate to get over to Common Grounds, hoping like hell I would see Bella there. My downfall however, was that I didn't know what to say to her. I stood at the corner, waiting for the light to change wondering to myself what might be a good way to talk to the person who left you the morning after mind-blowing sex.

"So, Bella… did you like last night as much as I did, because I seriously thought I was dreaming when you woke me up with that blow job in the middle of the night," I said out loud to myself.

"Excuse me?" I heard a voice behind me say and when I turned around, I came face to face with my downstairs neighbor, Mrs. Petrone. She was at least in her 70's and was a bit of a hippy, which explained why she lived in The Village. Rent control was probably the second reason. She had probably lived here since the building was erected back in 1940 and paid 5 shillings a week in rent. God, how I wished she was hard of hearing.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Petrone," I said stoically, my embarrassment obvious in the flush of my cheeks. "I was just thinking about my date last night."

"Would that be with a girl that was screaming your name at three o'clock in the morning?" she questioned as she raised one eyebrow in curiosity and I nodded my head remorsefully. "I should charge you two fifty dollars for the Slap Chop I ended up buying from the TV since I couldn't go back to bed. I got three of them you know, Christmas will be here before you know it and it's always good to be well-prepared."

"Yes, that's true I suppose," I said with a sigh as I noticed that the light had changed, signaling that I could walk across the street. "Have a nice day," I called to her as I began to wander across the street, both desperate to get away from her and eager to see Bella.

"Have fun with your floozy," she replied as she stepped into the building and I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. I stepped through the doors of Common Grounds, the overwhelming scent of coffee and fresh baked muffins assaulting me as I walked up to the counter and was greeted by Margaret's smiling face.

"The usual Edward?" she questioned as I nodded my head and looked around the small café. "Before you ask, Bella wasn't here today, but I saw her walking down the street in the same clothes as yesterday. I think she found herself a guy."

I didn't respond, but just nodded my head and handed her a five dollar bill, as I strummed my fingers along the counter. What the hell was I supposed to say to that? Uh yeah, she found herself a guy… me? In fact, earlier this morning she rode me like a fucking bucking bronco at a rodeo and I can't get her out of my mind.

"Thanks," I finally mumbled as I grabbed my coffee and pulled my newspaper out from under my arm, as I sat down at a small table near the door. I had a perfect view of the door and most of the windows, so I was hopeful that I would see Bella again. That girl had coffee flowing through her veins, so she had to be here again today, wouldn't she?

Before I knew it, I had finished my first cup of coffee and was back at the counter, getting a refill from Margaret. As I sat back down, still hoping to see Bella, I found my thoughts alternating between Bella and Penny. After having Bella, I couldn't very well continue whatever it was I had going with Penny. I realized that I couldn't just lead them both on, because that was exactly what I had been doing. I liked them both for different reasons, but the connection I felt with Penny was definitely trumped by what I was feeling for Bella. Even as I thought her name now, I found my shorts tightening and I rubbed my temple slowly, trying to will it away.

How the hell would I tell Penny that, as much as our cyber sex had been fun, I had found someone real who I wanted more? But fuck, did I really want her more? And Bella had left me this morning, what if she didn't feel the same way I did? What if she left because she regretted every single fucking moment we had last night?

"Fuck," I cursed out loudly, calling attention to myself. I glanced down at my watch and saw that it was already past noon and I had been at the shop for over two hours. Apparently time flies when you are having an emotional meltdown over two girls who might not even want you. I tossed my paper in the recycling bin and pushed my way out the door, the frustration pouring off of me in waves.

As I glanced over at my building, I couldn't bring myself to go back home just yet. The whole apartment reminded me of Bella and our night together, so I decided to walk a few blocks to the grocery store, knowing full well that I needed a whole pile of stuff if I planned to eat during the week. I rolled my eyes as I walked in the door of Whole Foods and hear the tell tale screams of Alice's voice coming from the cheese counter.

"I asked for blue cheese. Why is there no blue in this cheese?" she shouted as I came up behind her and rested my hand on her shoulder, startling her. "Oh Edward, thank god. Can you please tell this incompetent boob what blue cheese is."

"It's the one of the far left, down at the bottom. That looks like Swiss," I explained as Alice gave a curt nod to the new girl behind the counter who broke out into tears.

"Thanks, I owe you one. Bella left this grocery list yesterday and I didn't get anything. Then when I saw she hadn't even come home last night, I rushed out of the store on my lunch hour to get this shit," said Alice with a slight groan. I blushed involuntarily from her comment and when she turned back towards the cheese counter, she whipped her head around quickly to look at me again. "She was with you. SHE WAS WITH YOU!"

"Keep your voice down Alice," I said as I lifted my hand to her mouth to silence her, but she bit my finger instead. "Jesus fuck. Are you off your meds? You fucking bit me."

"Why the hell are you not singing from the rooftops? Where is she anyways? Did you fuck her unconscious or something and now you are rushing here to get food to make her breakfast in bed?" she pleaded with me as I stood there like a deer in the headlights.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You had sex with her didn't you? It's all over your face," she said quickly as I brushed my hand over it, thinking I had something there. "No, not the sex. The smile. The moment I mentioned her you got this goofy smile on your face. Oh my god, you totally had sex with her. It was good wasn't it?"

"Alice, calm the fuck down please," I begged her as she tossed the cheese into her basket and pulled me along with her in the store, not caring one bit that I actually needed some provolone from the cheese counter.

"Just be honest with me. I'm one of Bella's best friends. She will tell me… eventually."

"Well then, she can tell you what happened because honestly, she has me twist turned upside down and I have no idea what the hell is going through her brain."

"Oh," sighed Alice as she randomly tossed a loaf of rye bread into her basket, not really paying attention to what she was doing.

"Yeah oh… she was gone this morning and left behind a note. I have no idea what to think," I admitted, my fingers running through my hair as I reached for a package of English muffins. Those would go really good with some peanut butter right about now.

"I'll talk some sense into her," Alice said forcefully as we went down the next aisle together, her grabbing a jar of Prego as I grabbed a box of rotini pasta and some macaroni and cheese.

"Please, don't. I have a feeling you will just make things worse," I said remorsefully as she nodded her head slowly in response. "I like her, I do, but she's kinda shut off to the prospect of romance. I can see it in the little time I've known her. I'm not going to beat myself up over something she might not want."

"Have faith Edward. I've known Bella for years and I've never seen her smile the way she does at you," said Alice as she told me she was finished her shopping and we said a quick goodbye. I wandered around the store, casually tossing things into my basket but not really paying attention. By the time I got back to my apartment, I was exhausted. I put away my groceries, quickly checked my email and then lay down on the couch to watch 'Dodgeball' on TV, falling asleep rather quickly.

When I woke up, it was now past five, so I ate some leftovers from the night before while watching CNN, finding myself easily bored. I called up Jasper, but he and Emmett were leaving for a double date with Rosalie and Alice. When I hung up the phone, I headed to the kitchen and grabbed cold beer from the fridge before settling down in front of my computer.

I responded to the nagging email my mother had sent and checked my Facebook account twice, even playing a round of Mafia Wars before I noticed the small chat window that had popped up in the corner of my screen. Penny was online.

_Paperback_Writer: Hey You._

_PennyLane84: Hey… I was thinking about you all day._

_Paperback_Writer: All good thoughts I hope_

_PennyLane84: Something like that. Can we talk seriously for a moment?_

_Paperback_Writer: Sure_

I seemed certain in my words on the screen, but I was a nervous wreck all of a sudden. Was Penny going to tell me she wasn't interested and I had effectively lost two girls in one day? I felt sick to my stomach suddenly. I had enjoyed these relationships in different ways and hoped neither would end any time soon.

_PennyLane84: I like you_

_Paperback_Writer: I like you too Penny_

_PennyLane84: No PBW, I like you… like, I was hoping you might want to spend more time with me both online and offline._

What the hell was I supposed to do now? Penny wants more from me the day AFTER I fuck Bella. Twice. I began drumming my fingers nervously along my desk and glanced around the room, as though I would find some magic 8 ball that would solve all my questions.

_PennyLane84: Are you here? Did your power go off again?_

Fuck.

I flipped closed my laptop and took a big swig of my beer. I didn't know what to say, so I chose to run away instead.


	13. With a Little Help From My Friends

**FLB11: Happy Belated Thanksgiving Everyone**

**CPW: Uh Hello... Canadian over here**

**FLB11: Fine then. Happy Saturday Night Everyone**

**CPW: Much Better. So... all you folks that maybe have this story on alert, but not us as authors... you so missed out earlier this week when we posted an outtake**

**FLB11: Yeah... our girl Risbee bought CPW in the Fandom Gives Back Auction and she requested a smuttake from MIFFY, smart girl.**

**CPW: So when you are done reading this chapter, put us on author alert and then head on over to the smutty goodness that is MIFFY: Bigger, Longer, Uncut**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight, but we do own some new ideas that will be explained at the end of this chapter :)**

**EPOV**

What the hell was I thinking? I smacked my hand against my forehead and pain started shooting through my entire body. Why the fuck would I just shut down the computer like that? _Fuck!_

I jumped up from my chair and began pacing nervously around my apartment as I scratched at the back of my neck with my hands. I had apparently just lost my fucking mind because I slapped my laptop shut, no doubt confusing and angering Penny. How the hell could I explain this to Penny in a way that she wouldn't shut me out completely for being an asshole? 'So … I'm sorry about disappearing on you the other day, but I had the best sex of my life the night before and I didn't want to give you the wrong impression, cause I kinda want to continue to get it on with her for as long as humanly possible.' There was no way that saying something like that to Penny would work in my favor.

I cleaned up the mess that was still left behind in the living room from the night before to try and take my mind off of everything. It didn't work. I grabbed my cell phone from the desk and stared at my computer for a moment, making me overcome with regret because I had shut Penny down so callously. I should have just said something to her. I called Jasper first, getting no answer before I dialed Emmett's phone and breathed a sigh of relief when he answered on the second ring.

"Emmett McCarty, Master of the Universe. How may I help you?" he said buoyantly as I let out a small sigh before I began talking. I couldn't believe I was about to do this. Emmett was the worst person I know to get advice from about romance, but I needed someone to talk to. Of course, I preferred that Jazz would have answered his phone, but he was probably somewhere fucking Alice, because that was all they seemed to do anymore.

"I need your advice about women Em. What are you doing right now?" I asked reluctantly as Emmett sounded literally excited on the other end. I rarely talked to them about my romantic entanglements and the next words out of Emmett's mouth confirmed my reasons why.

"It's about time Eddie boy. I guess you want me to provide you with detailed information on how to please a woman right? Should I create from diagrams quickly for your reference?"

"No, you fucking moron. Trust me; I don't need any advice about HOW to do it. I'm pretty sure she was satisfied, both times," I said quickly as I smacked my hand against my forehead instantly regretting saying anything to him.

"You had sex? It's a sign of the apocalypse. I'm gonna grab Jazz from the shower and we will meet you over at the Brass Monkey in fifteen minutes. I need to be sitting down with my hand wrapped around a nice cold beer to hear all the specifics of this shit," announced Emmett as I pinched the bridge of my nose and regretfully agreed.

There was no doubt in my mind that it was a bad idea to drag Emmett into my romantic issues, but I needed advice and that guy has seen more pussy than a gynecologist. At least he was somewhat unbiased in his opinion because he knew very little about Bella and even less about Penny. Then again, he was dating one of her best friends, so perhaps he had a little insight into Bella that I wasn't aware of. Not bloody likely, but one could hope right?

I slipped on my sandals and grabbed my cell phone and keys, locking the apartment before heading down the stairs instead of the elevator to clear my mind, passing Mrs. Petrone in the lobby. "Good evening Edward. Heading out to meet your lady friend?" she said sweetly as she winked at me and then stepped into the elevator, not giving me the opportunity to reply to her. I shook my head to get rid of the image of her winking at me and stepped outside, hailing the first cab I saw and heading over to the bar.

When I got there, I wasn't shocked to see Jasper & Emmett were already sitting at a table up on the rooftop patio, talking amiably to the waitress. I had to laugh though because neither of them was checking out her tits or her ass, which was usually the case. They were clearly both pussy whipped and I was a little envious.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies. Edward Cullen is in the hizzouse," Emmett said emphatically as I rolled my eyes and took a seat at the table, requesting a Rolling Rock from our waitress who then headed back to the bar, smiling brightly.

"Seriously dude, you are quoting from 'Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back'?" I questioned him as Emmett got on the defensive, which I knew he would.

"Listen, I would have been perfect in those movies. Hell, anyone one of them I would have rocked and you know it," he said as he then took a huge gulp of his beer and grew angry. Emmett had auditioned for the movie several years ago, but when he had insulted the director without knowing that it was him, he didn't get the role. He's still bitter and admittedly, it's a little fun to remind him about it, especially when he is teasing me about my complicated love life.

"On a separate note, are you wearing makeup?" I asked with a slight chuckle as Emmett rubbed his hands over his face and his eyes, desperately trying to remove whatever was on his face.

"Yes, I am. As of today, I am officially Emmett McCarty, actor-slash-model."

"That's so funny, 'cause I was thinking you look more like Emmett McCarty, man-slash-woman," added Jasper as we both started laughing uncontrollably as Emmett seethed at us for making fun of him. Usually I was pretty good spirited about his job, but today it really looked like he had eye makeup and lipstick still on.

"Fuck you, I had just gotten back from a photo shoot when you called. You should feel honored that I came here to listen to you bitch about your love life man."

The laughter died down a few minutes later and we talked casually for a few minutes. When my beer finally arrived and the waitress had left us alone, both guys looked at me expectantly. "You called us here man, you can't seriously expect us to sit here and pull teeth to get you to talk you know," said Jasper as I took a sip of my beer and let out a small sigh because I was nervous about unloading my troubles on my friends, but I needed them.

"There are two girls…"

"At the same time? Jesus fuck man, that is epic," interrupted Emmett as I reached over and punched him in the shoulder, but he didn't even flinch. "Even I'm impressed."

"No, not at the same fucking time. Are you going to listen to me or am I going to be forced to muzzle you, jackass?" I asked in frustration as Emmett nodded his head and pretended to zip his lip like he was a teenage girl. "I really like Bella and I think the feeling is mutual, but there was this girl that I met online a few months ago and she just asked me to meet her… the day after I had sex with Bella."

Both Jasper and Emmett looked at me with wide eyes as I contritely told them about me and Bella. I explained about how Bella made me feel and the way we seemed to fit perfectly together, before I went into detail about how I had met Penny online and the way she made me feel without even having seen her.

"Have you had cyber sex with Penny?" asked Jasper stoically as my eyes grew wide in mortification, but he just shrugged his shoulders. "What? It's a legitimate question to help me offer my advice."

"Yes, we have," I admitted shamefully as my fingers pulled at the napkin in my hands, plucking the ends of it nervously until it was a pile of shredded paper before me. Why the hell was I so nervous to talk to my best friends about this?

"So let me get this straight," said Emmett as he stared me for a moment with a dramatic pause before speaking again. _Fucking actor._ "You have Penny who wants to meet you and probably fuck your brains out, but then there's Bella, who has clearly fucked your brains out and left you with no ability to make a solid decision right?"

"Basically."

"Who do you like more?" questioned Jasper as I reached around and grabbed the back of my neck, tugging on my hair gently as though it held the answers to all of my questions.

"I have no idea. I mean, I love spending time with Bella and the way she makes me feel is beyond anything I've ever come across before. If I am being honest, I see myself having more than a fling with Bella because she's just so… impetuous, exciting, sexy, creative and endearing. I could go on for hours. However with Penny, there's all this potential there that could even rival the affection I have for Bella, but I'm not sure if I want to explore it and then lose what Bella and I share," I spat out quickly, feeling like I was rambling, but I couldn't help it. "Fuck, I don't even know if Bella wants anything more with me than just sex. Hell, I could be just a fucking means to an end for her because one minute she is saying we are just friends, and the next she was literally all over me. She initiated everything last night, but then this morning she left before I woke up."

"Shit man, that's a sign of a good date to me," laughed Emmett as Jasper took it upon himself to smack him upside the head for both of us. "Why do you always have to smack me? It takes hours to make my hair look this good," emphasized Emmett as he motioned to his short curly hair, effectively breaking the tension because both Jasper and I broke out into loud laughter.

"So you don't know who you want?" said Jasper.

"Nope."

"That's quite a quandary you have buddy. I'm not envious of your situation, although if I was in your shoes, I would go for the tangible option and that is Bella. I think you should give her a chance," explained Jasper as he waved his hand and our waitress came back over. He ordered us another round of beers and waited expectantly for me to give him an answer that I didn't have yet.

"You clearly can't make up your mind Edward, so you only have one choice man. Date them both," said Emmett smugly, rather proud of his asinine suggestion.

"That's not even a consideration," said Jasper, interrupting me before I could say the exact same thing. Dating both of them wasn't an option… was it?

"Why not? He's got the best of both girls and gets to live out every male fantasy, well if he can manage to get them both into bed at the same time. Now that would be classic!" I watched silently as my best friends debated back and forth over my situation, with Emmett throwing out a crude remark about threesomes every now and again. The more I listened to them, the more I became resolved to see where things could go with Bella. It was like a light bulb went off over my head as her name rang through my ears.

"It's gonna be Bella. It has to be," I announced to Jasper patted me on the shoulder and gave me a little 'atta boy' smile. "Now I just need to figure out how to convince her."

"Dude, she has already taken a ride on the Cullen Love Train, let her know you are open for as many rides as she wants," said Emmett, looking downright serious as Jasper and I exchanged looks of confusion.

"Seriously… how did you ever get laid saying shit like that?" asked Jasper as Emmett just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. We spent the rest of the night drinking ourselves into oblivion before taking cabs home. I passed out on my couch, determined to see Bella the next day and ask her out. If she would have me.

**BPOV**

I was a mess, to put it lightly. I was crawling back into my shell after what happened with PBW the night before. Why did I listen to Alice and Rosalie? Why would PBW even want to meet me anyway? We had our fun online and that was it, why would I even think that he would want anything more from me? I knew I shouldn't have broken the rules.

I was sitting in the living room, staring at my laptop, which had been closed since last night after PBW signed off on me. I wanted to confront him, to ask him why he left, but something in me was saying that wasn't the best idea. I wasn't even sure if he had signed off on purpose, maybe he'd had another power outage, but I was not ready to sign on to be sure, I was still hurt. I needed time to think, maybe meeting him wasn't such a good idea, maybe we were never meant to do anything but chat online. Maybe I'd never talk to him again; there was no way to be sure unless I opened up my computer, which was not an option. I didn't know if I could face what he had to say, if he had anything to say to me. I didn't even know which would be worse, rejection or finding that he didn't care enough to reply.

I finally got up and stepped away from the small white computer that seemed to be mocking me from its spot on the coffee table. I headed into my art studio, thinking that it was the best way to get distracted from what was happening in my romantic life.

I still hadn't talked to Edward since I left his apartment yesterday morning. He never called me, never texted and I hadn't seen him at Common Grounds earlier this morning. I hoped he wasn't avoiding me, but at the same time, should I be happy that he wasn't calling every hour on the hour asking where I was and why I had left? It made sense that I would be relieved he hadn't mentioned it, but I wasn't relieved. I was actually a little saddened.

"Ah, get a grip, Swan!" I said out loud to myself as I pulled at my ponytail and smacked myself in the forehead. I walked into my studio and decided that I'd had enough sketching in the past few days and that I really wanted to paint something, anything to get my mind off of Edward and PBW. I just needed to think about something else, _anything_ else for the next few minutes… or hours.

I grabbed all the colors I could - yellow, red, blue and some green, too. I began moving the brush along the small canvas anywhere and everywhere, really not even paying attention to what I was doing. Usually my emotions were reflected onto the canvas when I didn't think about what I was creating. It was sort of therapeutic in a way, letting my emotions take over and spill out into my work, and sometimes it paid off in the best possible way, with an awesome painting or drawing.

Before I got lost in the painting, I ran into the living room and got my iPod, placing it on the dock that was sitting on the small table in the corner of the room, far away from the paint. I hit play and was lost in the canvas in front of me once again. After a few minutes, 'Fuck You' by Lily Allen came through the speakers. The irony of the song made me laugh a little bit as I continued my painting, singing along to the music.

When I was just about finished, I turned around and found Edward standing in the doorway of my studio, watching me as I made an ass out of myself. "Holy shit, Edward! You scared the living daylights out of me," I said breathlessly as my heart pounded in my chest so fast I was afraid he would hear it. That's when I realized that the music was so loud that Edward probably hadn't even heard what I had been saying. I walked over to the iPod dock and turned it off. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, doing a half-assed job of hiding my anger.

"Rosalie let me in on her way out, I needed to talk to you," he said quietly, his eyes never left mine as I walked back over to him. "I'm sorry I never called you after the other night," he said in a rush, as if he thought if he held in the words for too long they would disappear.

Really, Cullen? Really? Did you wait for me to think about the fact that you hadn't called or tried talking to me since we fucked twice in your bed? I wanted to punch him, but at the same time, I wanted to wrap my arms around him and kiss him. I wanted to tell him to never go another day without calling me again so I would never have to go a day without hearing his voice. I stood there, staring at him like an idiot, because I really had no idea what to say to him. I still didn't understand why he had come here instead of just calling me.

"I could have called you, too Edward. We're both at fault. Don't sweat it," I said coolly. I looked down at my shirt and the paint that was spattered all over it. "I look like a fucking disaster, so I'm just gonna go and change, I'll be right back. I'll meet you in the living room and we can talk when I'm done." Edward nodded at me and I headed across the hall to my bedroom as I thought I heard him utter the word 'beautiful' under his breath. I paced nervously around my room, his words ringing in my ears as I began looking for something non-spastic to wear. _Fuck, Bella. Since when do you give a shit about what you wear?_

I ended up putting on a pair of black shorts and my cute watercolors t-shirt. I slipped my feet back into my Birkenstocks, quickly checking my hair, which was, of course, full of paint, before I walked downstairs and into the living room where I found Edward sitting on the couch twiddling his thumbs. He looked so freakin' sexy, I wanted to just sit down in his lap, like I had the other night, and kissed him into oblivion. I wanted to feel him against me again as our bodies pressed together feverishly, unable to get enough of the other.

_Fuck my life. Really._

Instead, I sat down next to him on the couch, my back resting against the arm as I sat cross-legged facing Edward. I needed to stay composed and to not show him what a mess this whole situation had made me, especially the half that he was unaware of.

"What's up, Cullen?" Edward turned and looked at me with a shocked expression, as if he had been expecting me to react differently. Apparently, my façade wasn't going to go as well as I thought.

"What do you mean 'what's up?' I thought you knew why I was here," he said, the frustration clear in his voice. I felt bad for giving him a complex, but I didn't know if I could handle telling Edward how I really felt. His face softened after a moment, and he looked almost… sad. It hurt me to see him look that way, and I realized that we should probably talk about what had happened between us. I wasn't willing to hurt him because of my own insecurities.

"Fuck, Edward. I know why you're here, okay? I'm sorry I left you the other day, I'm sorry I never tried to talk to you, but I just…" I couldn't finish. My gaze drifted to my lap because I didn't want to see the hurt in his eyes. How do you tell the guy who gave you the best sex of your life that you can't be with him? I looked up at Edward and his face gave me the answer.

You don't.

I kneeled before him, grabbing his face and kissing him roughly. My tongue pressed against his lips and he opened his mouth to let me in. I was expressing to him through that kiss what I couldn't tell him in words. I wanted him, so badly, and that was all that mattered in that moment.

I fisted my hands in his hair and brought my knee around so I was straddling him. Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, a low moan escaping his lips as I rocked my hips against his very prominent erection. "I want you. So badly," I whispered against his lips.

"Bella…" Edward said as his lips moved to trail slow, open-mouthed kisses along my neck. When we were like this, it was like nothing else existed but the two of us, and it was the most wonderful feeling in the world. Suddenly, Edward stiffened beneath me and pulled back to look at me. His gaze held a mixture of sadness, disappointment and frustration. "I can't."

"What do you mean?" I asked softly. "Do you want to go in the bedroom?" I asked as I suddenly realized that wasn't what he was talking about.

"No, Bella. I can't do this," he said as he motioned between our bodies. "I came here to ask you something, but every time I get near you, it's like I lose control of everything above the knee." I held back a giggle at his comment and instead ran my fingers through his hair before climbing off his lap and sitting back down next to him on the couch.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, looking down at my lap again. What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't tell him that I didn't want to be with him, because I knew it would hurt his feelings. I had my own mixed up reasons for keeping him at an arm's length and it was on the verge of backfiring in my face. So my solution to that was jumping him? I was so fucked up.

"Bella," Edward said softly, looking at me and placing his rough, yet somehow soothing hand on my cheek. "Don't be sorry. I want you, too, but I just need to get this out." I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch and nodded, urging him to continue.

"I want to take you out," he said simply. I opened my eyes and looked at him quizzically. "Like on a date." I swallowed loudly at his clarification, because I didn't know what to do. We'd crossed that line in the sand of being just friends, but now we weren't just hovering at that point passed the line; we were strolling forward. I didn't know if my feet would keep steady in the sand.

I thought about what had happened with PBW the night before, and how he'd rejected me. Maybe that had happened for a reason, so Edward could sit here and ask me out on a date. Obviously I wasn't going to be meeting PBW anytime soon, so perhaps I should take a chance with Edward. Maybe? _Oh, I don't know what the fuck to do._

"I don't know if I can," I said finally. If anything I would need time to think this over because there was no way I could answer him right now. I had gone from deciding to meet with PBW as a way to distract myself from Edward, to being faced with the option of going out on a date with Edward to distract myself from PBW. My brain was racing a mile a minute and I just needed to think.

"Oh." He sounded so disappointed, but I needed him to know that it wasn't completely out of the cards.

"I mean I just need to think about it," I said in a rush. His face fell slightly and I smacked myself internally because it was the sadness in his eyes that I was trying to avoid. "It's not a no… but it's not a yes either."

"Its okay, Bella. Just please think about it. I think we could be really good together if you gave me the chance to show you," he said as he got up and walked to the door, pausing there for a moment before walking out of my apartment.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I whispered to no one once I was sure he was gone. I hated myself for making him hurt and confused, but I was just as confused as he appeared to be from my sort of rejection. I needed to figure out my shit before I dragged someone else, Edward particularly, into it.

I slumped back down into the couch and turned on the television, quickly finding a rerun of The Big Bang Theory, a perfect distraction. Before I knew it, Alice walked into the apartment and immediately knew that something wasn't right when I didn't laugh when Sheldon said 'bazinga.'

"Hey, Al," I said once she sat down next to me on the couch.

"What's wrong?" she asked, going for the gut straight away. That was Alice for you. How could she tell something was wrong from being in my presence for less than five minutes? That was a talent. If only she had a way to market that shit, she'd be a millionaire.

"Nothing," I lied instantly. I wasn't really sure why I would lie to her, but then again I wasn't really sure of anything at this point.

"Cut the crap. I can tell by the expression on your face that something is wrong." I smiled slightly at how well she knew me and relented.

"Edward was here earlier," I said, grabbing the remote and turning the TV off. "He wants to take me out… like on a date." Alice smiled her devilish smile at my last words. I knew she thought that a relationship with Edward would be good for me, but I wasn't so sure.

"And?"

"And… I told him that I needed to think about it," I said as I got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. I grabbed the bottle of wine that I had let chill in the fridge and took the corkscrew out of the junk drawer. I quickly opened the bottle and poured two glasses and sat next to her again. "I'm so confused, Alice. One minute I'm set on meeting with PBW, then the next thing I know, he's bailing out on me and I'm making out with Edward on the couch," I confessed.

"What? You guys made out while he was here?" she pressed. I nodded my head and continued.

"I just… want him, but I don't think I can _be_ with him. I'm not a long run kind of girl. I'm doomed to make the exact same mistakes as my parents and I honestly don't wish that on my worst enemy. So instead of telling him that and clearing the air between us, I kissed him. Not smart, I know," I finished. Alice looked at me sympathetically, probably wishing that I wasn't such a complicated creature and that I could sort out my issues._ That makes two of us._

"You'll figure it out, Bella. You're not stupid," Alice reassured me. I wasn't so sure, so I really had no answer for her.

Before Alice had a chance to say anything else, Rosalie walked into the apartment. "I don't understand why guys think they can pick you up by buying lube and asking if you'd like to test it out with them," she said as she immediately went to the fridge and pulled out a beer. Alice and I laughed at her usually frustration with the guys who come into the sex shop, but really, what did she expect?

"Rosalie, sit your ass down and help me talk Painty Hands over here down from the ledge she's on," Alice called to Rose as she was cracking open her beer bottle and walked over from the kitchen looking at the two of us with confusion in her eyes.

"What? Again?" Rosalie asked once she sat down on my other side, quirking her eyebrow at me, since we'd just had this conversation the day before. "What now?"

"Edward asked me out, Tinker Bell over there can fill you in on the rest," I said, pointing my thumb over at Alice. Alice recapped what I had just told her about Edward coming over and us making out on the couch.

"Bella, this is simple. Your online what's his face rejected you, so all the hard work is done for you. GO out with Edward, see what happens," she said as if it was no big deal.

"I know, Rose. It's just… I was so set on meeting him and then he completely blew me off and now I'm thinking about going on a date with Edward, which was the exact opposite of what I thought was going to happen."

"It's okay, Bella. We'll be here for you no matter what happens," Rosalie said as she and Alice wrapped their arms around me from both sides. I felt a bit resolved about what I was going to do, knowing that I had their support. Although sometimes I wished they would just tell me I was an idiot and be done with it. I was glad that they were here for me in this situation though, considering I couldn't make a decision for shit when it came to Edward and PBW.

"Thanks guys. I guess I'll call Edward, and tell him that I'll go out with him," I said as I rolled my eyes at myself. I knew I was letting my physical attraction to Edward get in the way of what my head was telling me, but I couldn't really seem to care enough to stop myself.

I got up from the couch, grabbing my laptop from the coffee table and took into my room with me. I tossed it gently onto my bed and glared at it evilly, as if it were PBW himself. I picked up my cell phone from my cluttered desk and dialing Edward's number.

"Bella?" he answered on the second ring.

"Hey. I'm sorry about earlier," I told him honestly.

"Don't apologize, Bella. I shouldn't have said anything to you."

"No," I cut him off. I didn't need him backing out on me now, too. "I'm glad you did. I'd love to go out with you, Edward."

"Really?" he asked, sounding unsure, as if he didn't believe me.

"Really. When is good for you?"

"How does Friday night sound to you?"

"Perfect."

**CPW: ****Now that you are all about to put us on author alert, you will also be notified when we begin out next collaboration, an extension of my one shot 'Room 15'**

**FLB11: Just so you know, my girl CPW was completely on the fence about this until recently because honestly, like she needed more fricking stories right? But thanks to the overwhelming response (seriously, who gets over 200 reviews for a one shot?) and my pressuring her, we have decided to collaborate again.**

**CPW: Yeah, I'm a sucker for peer pressure and fuckawesome reviews which keep pouring in. I'm still cursing our Beta MaggieMay14 for requesting this little one shot that clearly has many of you clamoring for more.**

**FLB11: Yes, we all know you are very excited. Now hit that little green button and leave us some love!**


	14. Wild Honey Pie

**Coldplaywhore: Look… we're alive!!!**

**Flightlessbird11: Always with the dramatics whore.**

**Coldplaywhore: well, this is the first story I have ever felt pressure to post before. I got PM's asking if we were not posting anymore. It's only been a month folks.**

**Flightlessbird11: Yeah… RL has been overwhelming both of us, but thanks to the lovely period known as holiday break, I was able to get my part of this chapter done while I was home. **

**Coldplaywhore: Thank the sweet lord, because I was done my part weeks ago. You are really dropping the ball. Our readers shouldn't exile me you know. *****giggles incessantly… may have been drinking***

**Flightlessbird11: Shut up bitch. You know I've been busy. I wrote my first contest entry… shameless plug, go check out my profile. It's called 'Meet Me Under the Christmas Tree'. I'm not above whoring myself out for more readers.**

**Coldplaywhore: hey… I'm the whore… back off. **

**Flightlessbird11: Anywhoo… let's ignore Drunkie McWritesalot there. I'll do the usual good deed and remind you that we don't own Twilight, but we both had very merry Christmases with our families and hoped you did the same. Onto the show.**

**EPOV**

What the hell had I been thinking when I asked her out on a date? Oh yeah, I wanted her. That was what I had been thinking. My mind was still racing with thoughts of us together in my bed, her arms sensually touching every inch of my skin, her lips moving effortlessly against mine. It seemed like every time I closed my eyes I could hear her moaning my name as she came undone around me. Friday couldn't get here fast enough.

I spent my entire week thinking of things that we could do together, work be damned. However, when Friday did come and each hour passed by, I found myself wondering about Penny. I hadn't heard anything from her since I had shut down my computer and basically disappeared. I hadn't been back on the chat system we used, but I had checked my email religiously, hoping against hope that she might drop me an email. Nothing came. I tried to shake the thoughts from my mind, but even as I buttoned up my shirt half an hour before I was due to pick up Bella; Penny was still in my thoughts.

_I should have emailed her._

_I shouldn't have let things get so strained between us._

_Would she even want to talk to me anymore?_

_Did I want to talk to her again?_

"Jesus man, snap out of it," I chided myself loudly as I attempted to psyche myself up for the date. I had gotten us a reservation at restaurant Jasper had suggested called La Caverna, on Rivington and I had to admit, I was excited to go there for dinner. If nothing else sparked between Bella and I, at least it should be a good dinner.

I finished getting ready and noticed that I was running late, so I practically sprinted down the road towards Bella's brownstone. When I finally got there, I felt a bit winded, so I took a moment to compose myself and catch my breath, only to come face to face with Rosalie as she walked out of the front door.

"Just finish the New York Marathon?" she asked as I moved my arm and let her walk past me. "The sweaty and out of breath thing works for you. If that's what you look like after sex, it's no wonder Bella likes you." I stood up straight as a board and looked at Rosalie, trying to determine if she was serious or not. Unfortunately for me, she headed down the corner and disappeared from view before I could manage anything to say to her. I couldn't help but feel slightly conflicted when she said that Bella liked me though. What the hell was that all about? I thought this was what I wanted?

I slowly made my way up the stairs and knocked tentatively at the door, feeling a little unsure of the entire situation. That thought was wiped from my mind the moment Bella opened the door looking… well… fucking stunning. She had on a gorgeous red halter dress that made her breasts look hot as hell. I eyed her up slowly – oh, who was I kidding? – I was totally eye fucking her as my gaze moved from her breasts down to her heels, which were just as sexy as the rest of her.

"Hey," I finally managed to say as Bella looked at me curiously because I hadn't spoken. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," she replied as she grabbed a purse from the small table just inside the door and then she closed it firmly behind her, locking it as I walked down the steps. "Where are we heading tonight anyway?"

"It's a surprise," I said casually as she stepped down onto the sidewalk beside me and I reached my arm out to hail a cab. As the taxi pulled to the curb in front of her place, I took her hand in mine and felt a small spark of electricity between us. I helped her into the car, watching with envy as her hand smoothed down the back of her skirt. I gave the address to the driver and within twenty minutes, thanks to brutal Manhattan traffic, we were pulling in front of the restaurant and Bella looked over at me with a huge smile.

"La Caverna? Really? Alice said Jasper took her here last week and said that it was awesome," said Bella excitedly as I helped her from the cab as I handed the driver payment and a fairly hefty tip. When we walked in the front door, Bella looked around the entire place as I gave my name to the hostess, who then guided us to the table I had reserved.

"Have you ever been to La Caverna before?" she asked politely as I shook my head and grabbed Bella's hand to make sure she followed us to the table. "Well, feel free to explore the restaurant. We're modeled after Roman caves from around 1500 B.C. There's various waterfalls around the restaurant to give it an authentic feeling. I hope you enjoy," she finished as she put our menus down at a small booth and I helped Bella slide in, while looking down the front of her top.

"This place is amazing," gushed Bella as she rested her purse down beside her and put her hands on the table, fidgeting nervously. I was surprised to see how nervous she was, especially since I was feeling the same way. "I can't believe there is a restaurant like this in the city and I've never been before."

"Well, I'm glad I could bring you here," I admitted easily as Bella's eyes darted around and she looked at the different facets of the restaurant. I couldn't help but feel that she didn't want to be here, or that she was looking for someone else. "Did you want to get wine with dinner?"

"Sure, that sounds good. I'm sure anything you pick out would be wonderful," she replied as I quirked my eyebrow at her. She seemed cold and a bit stoic, which was very unlike the girl who I had met a few months ago in Common Grounds. Everything about her tonight seemed different. Her hair was perfect, her dress was a little too fancy and those shoes… well fuck, those shoes I would like to see digging into my ass regardless of the current situation.

"Are you alright?" I finally asked several minutes later, after we had ordered dinner. We had both ordered salad and pasta, so I had requested a bottle of white wine and the moment it came to the table, Bella practically funneled her first glass, she was drinking it so quickly.

"Yeah I'm fine. This is just… it's been a long time since… I haven't had an actual date in a while," she admitted anxiously as my eyes grew wide in surprise. There was no way this beautiful creature hadn't been on a date in a while. "With you it's always been just hanging out as friends. Now there are just so many expectations, which I am not sure I can live up to."

"Bella, I honestly have no expectations about tonight. I am hoping to have a good meal and some great conversation, but that's it. Would you prefer it if we didn't classify this as a date, but rather us just hanging out?" I questioned as she shook her head in the negative. I offered her a refill on her wine, which she accepted easily and as she finished taking a sip, I reached out for her hand, stroking the back of it as I tried to soothe her. "Let's just talk… we can handle that, right?"

"Yeah, I think I can manage to talk to you," laughed Bella as our conversation began to flow a lot easier than it had just moments before. Bella told me a bit about her parents, who were divorced. Her mom now lived in Phoenix with her minor league baseball player husband and her dad was a police chief in small town Washington, which I wasn't expecting. Since Bella was such a free spirit, I figured she grew up with hippies, not a cop. We steered away from more in depth conversations about her friends, and Bella chose instead to tell me about some of her friends from back in Washington.

I wasn't surprised to learn that Bella and Alice came from the same small town, because they had a rapport that just made me feel like they had known each other forever. Rosalie however, fit perfectly into their group, like she was always meant to be there, and as Bella talked animatedly about her friends, I was glad to see she was getting more comfortable with the idea of us out on an actual date.

After dinner, Bella and I decided to stick around La Caverna and we got comfortable on a set of chairs near a waterfall. Even though the sound of the falling water made me want to go take a piss, I found myself unable to take my eyes off of Bella's legs. They looked so smooth and creamy that it took all of my will power not to reach my hand out and stroke the skin softly. Whereas an hour and a half ago, I was nervous about being on a date with Bella, the more time I spent with her, the better it got.

I explained to Bella a bit about my parents and their love story, having met almost twenty five years earlier and knowing immediately that they were meant for each other. Bella seemed a little surprised when I discussed love at first sight, but I think the collapse of her parents' relationship had a negative affect on her, making me wonder again why she didn't date very often. Since Bella seemed to be conversing so freely with me, I decided to mention it.

"So umm… your comment earlier has me wondering," I started to say as Bella took another sip of her wine and looked and me through hooded eyes.

"What comment?"

"The one about not dating much," I said as Bella seemed to clam up slightly. "I find it highly unbelievable that a woman who looks as delicious as you do doesn't get asked out very often."

"I never said I didn't get asked out," Bella corrected with a sly grin, piquing my interest even further. "I don't go on actual dates. It doesn't mean that I've never met a guy at a bar and took him home and fucked him."

My jaw dropped open slightly as she spoke rather crudely, which hadn't been like her at all this evening. She had been fairly prim and proper, and to hear her drop the f-bomb, I had to admit, I was a little turned on.

"Well thank you for that clarification," I replied as our waitress came by a moment later to see if Bella or I wanted another drink. I was caught off guard when Bella actually said she was ready to go. I glanced at my watch and was surprised to see it was only ten thirty. I wasn't anywhere close to wanting this night to end. "We'll just take the bill then."

When our waitress came back a few minutes later, I was quick to pull out my credit card before Bella could protest. When we finally stepped out of the restaurant, the night air was cool and I found myself wrapping my arms around Bella to keep her warm. I took it as a good sign when Bella leaned her head back against my shoulder and let out a contented sigh as we waited for the next cab to pull up to the curb.

The conversation was light between us during the ride back to her brownstone, and I had to admit, I was surprised when she asked me in. I quickly paid our driver and followed Bella up the steps and into the house, to find it empty. "Would you mind if I went and got changed? This dress… fuck, these shoes… they aren't really me. This was shit Alice forced me into wearing in an attempt to look hot."

"No, I wouldn't mind. However, for the record, you did look very hot. I just prefer regular paint splattered Bella." I was happy when Bella seemed to relax further and pulled off her shoes before winking at me and heading up the stairs.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back down in a few minutes."

I wandered aimlessly around the apartment and tried to soak everything in, because I had never spent much time in her place. I had visited a few times briefly, but never stayed too long, which I began to question for a moment, until I found myself staring at a framed sketch on the wall. It was one of the ones Bella had drawn during our day out together at Washington Square Park, and seeing it again, I was reminded of how truly talented of an artist she was.

I could hear Bella stomping around loudly upstairs and decided to walk up the stairs to check out her art room. I couldn't help wanting to see more of her art, but I had to admit, I was a little worried that she might get upset if I invaded her space, so I did the only thing I could. "Bella, would you mind if I stepped into your studio?"

"Would you mind if I painted you?" she called back, sounding a bit out of breath. I could only imagine what was taking her so long to get changed.

"No."

"Then, go ahead… go in and get comfortable." With those words, I stepped into her studio for the second time ever, flipping on the light as I went. The room was absolutely filled with supplies. Canvases that she had already painted lined the walls, with empty ones lined up on the floor underneath them, just aching to be painted on. She had various mediums all over a ramshackle shelving system that honestly looked like it would collapse at any second. There were charcoals, pencils, watercolors… hell I think she even had a package of crayons in the mess.

I was caught off guard when Bella walked in a moment later, her hair piled up into a bun on the top of her head and wearing a Beatles tank top that had clearly seen better days. However, the moment my eyes stared at the image covering her chest, I thought of Penny.

**BPOV**

I stared at my reflection in my bathroom mirror, my breathing starting to pick up as my heart began pounding rapidly against my chest. My cheeks had a slight pink color to them form of all the wine I had been drinking, and my head felt a little fuzzy. I needed to get a grip on myself; this was just the two of us, me and Edward. I've always been comfortable around him before, and I didn't understand what was different about tonight. Maybe it was the fact that we were on an official date, even though earlier in the evening Edward had relaxed me a bit by letting me know I didn't have to be stressed about it. He was right, it was just me and him, nothing else should matter.

The entire evening seemed awkward and a little uncomfortable, even despite Edward's reassuring words. My dress was all wrong, the shoes were all wrong. Fuck, the only thing that Alice let me pick out was the damned necklace that I was wearing. It had an owl on it, and there was no way I was letting her tell me that I couldn't wear it. I had to let her fix my hair in return, but it was worth it.

"Snap out of it, Swan. Just go out there and do your thing," I whispered to myself as I trudged out of the bathroom in an old Beatles tank top that I often used when I painted. I threw my hair up into a bun at the top of my head and headed out to my studio where I found Edward staring at everything like it was the first time he'd ever seen art supplies.

When he turned to face me, his curious look faded and he looked… confused. Maybe even a little sad.

"You okay over there?" I asked as I quirked my eyebrow at him. He'd seemed fine before, it was almost like the sight of me had turned him off or something. I was hoping that wasn't the case though, because I really did want to paint him.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine, just got distracted," he said as his mouth turned up into a small grin. I smiled back at him, pleased to see that whatever had been bothering him obviously wasn't a big deal. "So, you're sure you wanna paint me? My six pack might need too much detail…" Edward trailed off as I smacked him playfully on the shoulder.

"No one said you were going to be taking your shirt off, coffee boy," I retorted. Edward opened his mouth to say something, but quickly shut it. I nodded at him, indicating that not saying anything back would be the wise thing to do.

We both just laughed it off as I went over to my shelf and pulled out some tubes of paint. "Get comfortable, I want to keep this simple," I said before I grabbed a canvas from my stockpile and carefully placed it on my easel. Edward sat in the small chair that was sitting in the room. "Rest your right elbow on the back of the chair and put your left hand on your thigh," I instructed as Edward did as he was told. Fuck, he looked sexy sitting there.

I unclasped my necklace and set it on the table, since I had forgotten to do that while I was in the bedroom. Edward looked at me questioningly. "It's one of my favorites. I don't want to ruin it," I explained.

"I thought you said that Alice dressed you."

"She did. This was the only thing that she let me pick out myself," I said with a laugh. I was wondering why the hell he was so curious about my necklace.

"I like it. The owl reminds me of you. You were wearing that obnoxious shirt with Woodsy the Owl on it the first time I saw you," Edward said as I smiled sheepishly at his comment and shrugged my shoulders.

"What can I say? I like owls."

I walked next to him and started squirting paint onto my palette. I was trying to get some paint out of a tube that was being particularly difficult when I accidentally squeezed too hard and some went flying onto Edward's shirt.

"Shit! I'm sorry!" I said apologetically as I looked around frantically for some paper towels. Naturally, there were none, so I ended up bending over and spreading the paint all over Edward's shirt in my dumb ass attempt to clean it up. Apparently my definition of cleaning was just making it worse.

"It's okay, Bella… really," Edward said with a slight chuckle as he watched me make a mess all over his shirt. "I spilled sauce on it at dinner anyway," he laughed. I looked up and met his sparkling green eyes and all thought was gone as I started laughing uncontrollably along with Edward.

Once we had calmed down, Edward reached over to the palette and stuck his index finger in the purple paint. He placed a dot of it on the tip of my nose before reaching over with his clean hand and wiping away a stray tear that had fallen down my cheek from laughter. I leaned into his touch out of instinct, and I couldn't for the life of me tear myself away from his gaze. It was captivating.

"You sure know how to make a mess, coffee girl," Edward said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. I smiled sheepishly at him and nodded, sticking my index finger into the green paint and placing a dot on his nose.

"I'm an artist, Edward. Making a mess is in my job description," I said with a giggle right before Edward raised his eyebrows at me and stuck his entire hand into the paint on the palette. My mouth hung open in surprise, but before I could do or say anything, Edward was wiping his entire paint-covered hand all over my chest. He didn't stop there though. He kept at it, smearing the paint all over my exposed chest so that I was covered in a nasty-looking purpleish green, brown color.

"So am I an artist now, Bella? I did make a pretty big mess, after all," Edward said, his tone slightly low and seductive. I gave him a cocky smirk before answering.

"I don't know about that. I'll have to give you an official artist's assessment," I said before I smashed my hand against the palette and running my now paint-covered hand through his hair. I began massaging his scalp with both hands, spreading the paint around. Edward looked up at me and my hands slowed their movements in his hair. Suddenly, this didn't seem like it was about the paint anymore.

Edward grabbed my wrist abruptly, stilling my hand. He began kissing his way up my arm, from my wrist up to my elbow before he stood up and smashed his lips to mine. His tongue immediately sought mine and I obliged quite easily, my tongue delving into his mouth as is tangled with his. I gripped Edward's hair tighter, a low growl escaped his lips and I felt the vibrations of it against my tongue.

I broke the kiss after a few moments, as I was desperate for air. I pulled away and my eyes met Edward's hooded ones. My head was telling me to be careful and not to let this go too far because I needed to protect myself. However, my heart… my heart was asking why the hell I had pulled away from that kiss at all.

"You better take that shirt off," I said after a moment of staring into his eyes. He smirked his trademark cocky smile at me and I squeezed my lips together to hold back my laughter. "So we can, uh… get the stain out," I clarified.

"Whatever you say," Edward replied, unbuttoning his shirt and taking it off swiftly. The moment I saw him without his shirt on, the willpower I'd been saving up throughout our entire date seemed to dissolve in front of my eyes.

I darted my eyes back and forth between Edward and the palette of paint a few times before a smile played across my face. I reached my hand over and wiped it across the palette, shoving my hand against Edward's bare chest, just as he had done to me, and smearing it everywhere. He gaped at me in shock, but was smiling nonetheless.

"Now you're an artist. Not only do you need to be able to make a mess," I said, staring into his eyes and getting lost in them once again. I placed my hand on his cheek, smudging paint over it with my thumb. "But you also need to be willing to get messy," I finished.

Before I knew what was happening, Edward's lips were on mine again, and his hands were under my tank top. No words were spoken as he grabbed the paint-stained hem and brought the tank top over my head, only breaking our kiss to allow time for my shirt to pass over my head. A low moan escaped my lips as the most intense feeling spread throughout my entire body. I needed him, and judging by his desperate kisses, he needed me too.

"I want you," Edward mumbled against my lips, his words mirroring the thoughts in my mind. My desire for him increased exponentially at his declaration.

"I want you, too," I answered before Edward reached behind me and unclasped my bra with ease. I felt a cold, wet trail where his hands touched my back, the remnants of paint from his hands marking my back. A shudder ran through my body as a result of the combination of the chill from the paint and the pleasure I felt from Edward's touch against my bare skin.

Edward noticed my shiver and immediately wrapped his arms around me, and I placed my hands on his chest, smiling at the paint that was all over it. He brought his hand to my breasts and began massaging them, as we stood in my studio, both of us shirtless. Edward started kissing a trail from my cheeks down my neck until I stopped him just before he started kissing his way down my chest.

"Don't," I said abruptly. Edward looked up at me, a mixture of confusion and hurt on his face. "The paint, it's toxic," I clarified quickly. "We can't have you getting poisoned, now can we?" I asked as a smile grew on my face as I watched Edward's expression go from hurt to understanding.

"No, we definitely don't want that," he said, the relief clear in his voice. He knelt down and tugged at my shorts, grinning wickedly when he found I wasn't wearing any underwear. He looked up at me again. "Expecting something?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Well, I didn't have on any to begin with…" I teased. Edward growled before dragging my shorts off my legs completely and grabbing my bare ass in his hands, squeezing the cheeks firmly. He kissed my stomach, and I could feel another cool trail from the paint I'd smeared on his cheek. His tongue swirled sensually around my belly button and I moaned loudly as he moved further down my eager body and he placed a teasing kiss right above my clit.

"Fuck," I hissed as I brought my hand into his hair once again. It was beginning to harden from the paint, but I didn't care.

I bent down so I could kneel next to him and reached for his belt and began unbuckling it. I tugged it off and unfastened the button on his jeans, pulling them down along with his boxers. Edward adjusted himself so I could get his jeans completely off his legs. He accidentally tripped as I was tugging them from his feet and fell on his back, knocking the palette of paint onto the floor. Thankfully it landed on the floor between us and only managed to splatter my feet a little bit.

"Are you okay?" I asked anxiously since the floor in my studio wasn't exactly soft… or carpeted.

"I'm fine, Bella," he said simply as I crawled over to him, my eyes drifting to his erect cock. I licked my lips and wished I could touch it. I knelt beside him and placed my hand over his chest, smudging the paint even further as he closed his eyes. A smiled played across his face just before he leaned up and his lips collided with mine. His tongue pushed past my lips and he placed a hand on my shoulder, pushing me onto my back.

Edward crawled on top of me without breaking the kiss and I spread my legs so he could settle between them. I felt his hard cock at my slick entrance just before he pulled away to look at me. His eyes were glazed over with lust, a significantly darker color than normal.

"Are you on the pill?" Edward asked suddenly. I'd gotten completely lost in the moment and forgotten that we didn't have a condom. It was a good thing I was on the pill, because there was no way I was letting him off of me to go get a condom. Plus he would have to stop and wash his hands and I simply couldn't wait that long. I nodded my head and kissed him deeply again as I felt Edward push inside me in one quick movement.

"Shit, Edward," I moaned as he began moving inside me. He began kissing my neck where there was thankfully no paint. I reached down and grabbed Edward's ass, trying to push him deeper into me. I was desperate to feel more of him. He began moving faster, but I wanted it harder. "More," I panted breathlessly, overwhelmed by the pleasure he was giving me. "I need more."

Edward propped himself up on his elbows, allowing himself to move his hips harder against mine. I moaned in pleasure as he sped up his movements within me. I took my hands off his ass and wrapped my feet around him and dug into it with my heels, trying to get him deeper still.

"Fuck, Bella. You want it harder?" Edward asked, his tone husky and seductive. The combination of that and his dirty talk only spurred me on further, and made me even more desperate.

"Yes. Oh, God, yes. Harder," I answered breathily. Edward sat up and pulled out quickly, leaving me confused and missing his touch.

"Get on your hands and knees for me, Bella," Edward said as I gasped and quickly crawled in front of him, nearly sipping on the wet paint that had spilled on the floor in the process. Edward put his hands into the paint that was on the floor and crawled behind me. I yelped as I felt the coolness of the paint as Edward spread it across my back before pushing into me again.

"Fuck, you're so tight like this," Edward groaned as he began moving inside me again, all while massaging the paint into my back and my ass as his hands gripped my hips and he plunged his cock inside of me. It was the most erotic experience of my life. "Is this hard enough for you, Bella?" he asked

"Yes," I answered in a desperate moan. My groaning grew louder as I felt Edward hit just the right spot inside me. "Oh, yes! Right there," I pleaded as Edward began hitting my g-spot even harder with his hard cock. I could tell that he was getting close and he was trying to get me to come first, which made me ache even more for him.

It wasn't long before I fell onto my elbows and came undone around him, screaming his name. Edward followed shortly after, growling my name as he spilled inside me. He pulled out of me for the second time and collapsed beside me.

"Fuck that was hot," he said after our breathing had evened out slightly.

I smiled at him and nodded. "Mhmmmm, it was," I said before looking down at our bodies that were absolutely covered in paint. Half of me couldn't wait to get cleaned up, but the other half wanted to stay here and try for round two.

Edward looked down between us, staring at our bodies before he looked back up at me and we both started laughing hysterically. He stood up and offered me his hand, helping me up from the floor. "Shower?" I asked simply.

I thought for a moment and smiled back at him. "I'm up for one," he said as I made a break for the bathroom. Edward followed and joined me a moment later.

I started the shower and waited for the water to start running hot and stepped under the soothing spray. Edward stepped in a moment later, sliding the door closed behind him. He turned to face me and we stared at each other as the paint slowly melted off our bodies and swirled around the bottom of the tub in a rainbow current. I reached up and rubbed away the last remnants of paint that had been smudged on his cheek. "You look good in paint," I murmured.

"Not as good as you do," Edward replied before reaching up and cupping my cheek in his strong hand. He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine softly.

It was a slow building kiss, one that soon escalated to more. Before I knew it, Edward was inside of me again, pressing me against the tile wall while I grasped frantically at his back as the water pounded down around us.

After our escapade in the shower, we both dried off and changed. I dressed in my favorite pajamas and Edward pulled on his boxers. We climbed into bed and talked for a bit.

As I lay in my bed with Edward, I couldn't help my eyes from drifting towards my desk where my computer sat untouched for days. I hadn't really used it since PBW blew me off a few days prior and lying with Edward I couldn't help but think of PBW and what would happen when and if I ever talked to him again. This was going to get fucked up; I could feel it. Edward and I talked until we fell sleep, just rattling on about whatever bullshit was on our minds. When I woke up, the sun was shining brightly through the curtains in my bedroom and Edward was still asleep. I looked at him, his chest rising and falling in slumber and I got up and grabbed my sketchbook from my desk, once again glaring at my computer as I passed.

I sketched Edward's sleeping form as I watched him rest. I couldn't help it. He just looked so… beautiful. No… peaceful? Maybe beautiful was more the word I was looking for. He just needed to be sketched, and that was all I knew in that moment. I drew up a rough sketch in about a half an hour, mostly because I was afraid that he'd wake up and catch me. For some reason him knowing that I was sketching him scared me. Perhaps it was just another one of my odd quirks like my clothing catastrophes or my commitment phobic ways that made me shy away from admitting to Edward that I liked sketching him. In fact, sometimes I simply felt the _need _to sketch him, but I probably would never admit that to Edward.

I finished the sketch and put it away in my studio, along with the one I had drawn of him the night at the bar.

I didn't know where we were going with our relationship or friendship… whatever the hell it was. I knew we'd just had a date, and the most erotic sex of my life, but I also knew that I still couldn't be with him. I couldn't let my heart get trampled on like my father's had been by my mother. I didn't want to be them one day, in a dead end marriage, staying together only for the sake of their child, who was suffering more in the long run by their lies.

I shook my head of the memories of my troubled childhood and thought about the only thing that made me smile these days. Edward. The only thing I was certain about was that I wanted him, in any way I could have him, so that was how it was going to be.


	15. I Want You, She's So Heavy

**coldplaywhore: Lookie Here... we're back again with another funfilled MIFFY update.**

**Flightlessbird11: Yes, it's like a new years miracle. Only took us 2 weeks to get it out this time.**

**coldplaywhore: But the next chapter will be faster right... since you are already working on 16?**

**Flightlessbird11: Don't count your chickens before they hatch sweetums. RL is still being a slagathor. However, I haven't yet returned to school, so there is hope.**

**coldplaywhore: That's okay... I can work with hope. I have other stories to update anyways right?**

**Flightlessbird11: Yeah, rub it in whore.**

**coldplaywhore: *****mind goes somewhere very dirty with flb11's comment***

**Flightlessbird11: Anywhoo... thanks for sticking with us. We have some fun times coming in the next few chapters, so have a little patience and trust. We don't own Twilight, but I am watching Rocky Horror Picture Show with my parents right now.**

**BPOV**

I woke up, opening my eyes slowly and nearly jumping out of my skin when I saw Edward sleeping next to me. In my bed. Fuck, he was hot. I groaned out loud and looked at the clock, noticing I was just past eight thirty in the morning, and I knew that I had to go pick up the dogs and face the rest of the world today, starting in a little less than a half an hour. I huffed again and this time, Edward's eyes fluttered open slowly and I covered my mouth quickly, feeling bad that I'd woken him.

"Hey," he said sleepily as he rubbed at his eyes and I couldn't help but notice that he looked so… content just lying there beside me.

"Hey," I replied, trying to sound casual. We stayed quiet for a moment, both of us still waking up for the most part, until I broke the silence. "I have to get up. I need to get some coffee in my system."

"I was thinking the same thing," Edward said with a small chuckle, running his hand through his hair that was extra chaotic since we'd gone to bed right after our shower last night. "Wanna go to Common Grounds? My treat," he said, his smile turning upwards to one side, making my restful heartbeat increase its pace slightly.

"I'd love to… I just have to run quickly afterwards… I, uh, have to be somewhere at nine," I said, feeling like an idiot for not just telling him that I walked dogs. Edward knew I was an artist, but mentioning that I also helped to make ends meet by walking dogs just made me sound a little bit pathetic. At least I thought it did.

"Uh, okay…" Edward trailed off as I quickly broke eye contact and hopped out of bed. I threw on a t-shirt and a pair of Bermuda shorts while Edward slid on his jeans and looked at me expectantly. I spent a moment ogling his naked chest before I realized that his shirt was currently lying on the floor of my studio, probably matted together from the dried paint.

"Oh, shit… let me see if I can find you a shirt," I said, trying to hold back laughter as I scoured the apartment for a shirt. I suddenly remembered that Alice had mentioned Jasper constantly leaving his t-shirts in her room when they had their… sleepovers, so I snuck into Alice's bedroom, knowing that she had stayed the night at Jasper's and found a crumpled up t-shirt on the floor. It was turned inside out but I brought it into my bedroom and tossed it to Edward anyway.

"Thanks, Bella," he said as he turned the shirt right side out and stared at it. He laughed quietly to himself for a minute as he slid it on. When he stood to face me, I, too was laughing. The gray shirt had Popeye on it, flexing his muscles and it said 'Yeah, I work out' on the front.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, still laughing. "I just picked it up…"

"It's fine, Bella. Trust me; Jasper's t-shirts get much worse than this." We laughed together at that one and headed out to Common Grounds. I really wanted to avoid the subject of what had occurred last night… twice. Again. Jeez… we really liked doing it twice, didn't we?

_Snap out of it. Bella. Think. Coffee._

Of course nothing worked to get my thoughts away from Edward and our situation, because usually when I thought of coffee… especially coffee at Common Grounds, I thought of Edward. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing yet though. Margaret gave us a sly wink as we ordered our coffees and moved over to a table in the corner, as she promised to bring us our drinks because we were staying, which wasn't usual for us.

"You look like you have something you want to get off your chest," stated Edward as he stared at me and picked at his muffin. He was just as nervous as I was and it was a bit endearing, which made this all the harder.

"Is it that obvious?" Yeah, I was playing dumb. I was such a chicken shit, and I couldn't seem to connect the wires that led from my head to my heart. They were all screwy and hooked up to the wrong parts and I knew what I felt, but what I was thinking seemed to overpower my feelings.

Well, as long as Edward wasn't naked my mind could overshadow my heart.

"Bella… you've been a little distant since we woke up this morning. I wasn't exactly expecting you to rush us out of your house so quickly," he said with a stern look on his face. Yeah, I was so busted. He really was getting to know me all too well. Then again, I was getting to know him pretty well, too. Like I knew that he ran his hand through his hair when he was nervous, and the way his mouth curved up more to one side when he was happy, and how he always carried his film camera when he was in a really good mood. Or when he had that cautious look on his face, like he did in that moment as I stared at him sipping his Espresso Macchiato, whenever we were talking about this… whatever was going on between us.

"I'm sorry," I practically whispered. I wasn't sure what I was apologizing for, for not being straight with him or for not wanting a relationship with him. Probably both. "I just… can't," I said as I finally mustered up the courage and looked into his eyes. I could see in his eyes the confusion, the apprehension, but the most prominent emotion that was reflecting back at me was the sadness. He was trying to mask it though, another thing I knew about him. "Maybe we're just meant to be friends, Edward."

I don't know how long I stared at my coffee cup before he spoke again. "If that's what you want." My head shot up in surprise. I didn't know what I had expected him to say. Maybe fight for what he wanted, maybe to question why I didn't want to be with him, but I definitely didn't expect him to pacify me. Maybe he didn't want a relationship with me, either.

Shouldn't that make me feel pleased? Because I surely did not feel relieved.

However, there was a really annoying feeling going on in the pit of my stomach, and it wasn't because of the coffee. Again, the next words that were spoken shocked me.

"Is there someone else?" he asked as I gazed down at the lid of my cup that was stained with coffee around the hole. I froze.

"No… well… yes, sort of… not really… god damn it, I don't know," I stammered out, sounding completely flustered and confused. I immediately thought that there was no one else besides the beautiful copper headed man sitting across from me, but then thoughts of PBW flashed through my mind. It seemed like such a long time ago that we had talked, although it was just a few days ago. Then the memory of him blowing me off after I asked if he wanted to meet surfaced, and I couldn't decide where my relationship with PBW stood. Damn, if I thought my situation was fucked up before I added PBW into the mix; well I just made myself some seriously fucked up pie.

"Uh… okay," Edward said slowly. The bewildered, sad look in his eyes was still present, and I hated that I was the one who had caused it.

"Have you ever wanted something that you knew could make you happy, but you weren't sure if you could really have it, like it was always balancing on a ledge, just out of reach?" I asked shakily although I wasn't really sure which one of them, Edward or PBW, I was referring to with that particular question. Edward sat quietly for a moment. He looked like he was honestly thinking about what I'd said… or maybe he was just trying to figure out what I said.

"I think I understand." I was slightly relieved that he wasn't angry, but at the same time my heart sunk in my chest. Did that mean that there was someone else for him, too? God, I didn't know what I wanted. Edward? PBW? Did I want both of them? Did I want Edward as my friend? My friend with benefits? My boyfriend? Then I began to wonder what the hell I wanted PBW for? I really needed to think this out.

"Listen, I should go. I'm glad we talked though," I said with a half-assed smile and an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me this was a mistake. However, if I didn't take a chance with PBW… wouldn't I always harbor regrets?

"Me too. I'll see you around, Bella." We gazed at each other before we said a quick goodbye, because I was going to be late to pick up the damn dogs. I didn't tell Edward the reason that I practically ran away from him though. Why was I such a fucking moron? I needed a good distraction.

I glanced down at the time on my cell phone and literally sprinted from the café to the home of my first client, picking up Aro, the shepherd who looked at me angrily, knowing that I was late. I simply growled in response to him and grabbed his leash, letting him lead me to the next house to get the rest of our entourage. I walked the dogs for a couple of hours, trying to take my mind off of everything, but as soon as I walked in the door though, I noticed my computer sitting untouched in the living room.

I was tempted to go and log in immediately to see if he was around, but one glance in the mirror showed me that I was filthy because Heidi got her filthy little paw prints all over one of my favorite t-shirts. I so headed up to my room and changed into something clean and comfortable before I sat down at my computer. I pulled it up onto my lap and ghosted my fingers over the keys, coming to the realization that I should face PBW eventually, no time like the present right? I mean maybe I was overreacting and his internet connection had gotten lost or something, it wasn't like I had actually made an effort to talk to him after what happened.

I turned on my computer, and a small grin crossed my face when I noticed that PBW was online. I sat there for a moment… trying to figure out what to say to him… wondering if I should be the one to say anything, since he was the one who had flaked out on me.

_PennyLane84:_ _You know what's definitely NOT a good combination? Your favorite white Jack Skellington t-shirt and dog walking. *frantically scrubs dirty paw marks from said shirt*_

Hey, no one said I was good at breaking the ice, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

_Paperback_Writer: Silly girl… didn't you know dogs are dirty? LOL_

I was relieved that he was playing along, but not so relieved as to think we didn't need to talk about what had happened.

_PennyLane84: Yeah, I know. What can I say? It wasn't one of smartest moves…_

_Paperback_Writer: Obviously ;)_

There were a few minutes of awkward silence, and I realized in that time that he _had_ blown me off. He was feeling just as anxious about having this conversation as I was.

_Paperback_Writer: Penny… listen, about last time we talked… I was an ass, I'm sorry._

I smiled at his apology, because even though they were just words on a screen, I could tell he was being sincere. Now I just needed to decide if I really did want to meet him if he had, in fact, changed his mind. I knew I did, so I made my mind up to agree if he brought it up, but not to broach the topic myself.

_PennyLane84:_ _It's okay… I'm sorry if I freaked you out._

_Paperback_Writer: No, it's not. You at least deserved some sort of explanation. You did kind of freak me out though, but I thought about it… and I really would like to meet you. If you're still interested after the way I treated you, that is._

I smiled at the screen again, feeling a bit moronic, but not hesitating in my response.

_PennyLane84:_ _Oh quit being so emo, of course I still want to meet you, and I know the perfect place._

_Paperback_Writer: Oh yeah? Where's that? _

_PennyLane84: What do you say to Strawberry Fields, in Central Park? The Imagine Mosiac? __It seems like the appropriate place… You like coffee? Can we drink some together? A sort of pre-date. Very casual, no strings, no obligations. We'll just see if it's even worth going down the road of including food in the deal. Just coffee._

_Paperback_Writer: Shit! I'm mad I didn't think of that. Well, it sounds like a plan. When can I meet you? __You sure you don't want some tea? Tea usually makes things like this a little less awkward. There are things to hold and stir._

_PennyLane84:_ _How about tomorrow at noon? Coffee is perfectly fine._

_Paperback_Writer: Deal. I gotta run though, I'll see you tomorrow, Penny Lane._

_PennyLane84:_ _Okay, I'll be the one in the bright blue t-shirt. See you, Paperback Writer._

And with that, he signed off. I actually felt good about what I was doing. It felt like meeting PBW would somehow clear up my feelings, for both him and Edward. As if finally coming face to face with him would solve all my problems.

I closed my laptop with a contented sigh and climbed the stairs, heading to my bedroom where I lay on my bed, staring at my ceiling for I don't know how long. Rose and Alice eventually came home and we ordered a pizza for dinner, but didn't really talk about much. Thankfully, they knew not to talk about their relationships with Emmett and Jasper, because they knew I was having a hard time figuring out my relationship with Edward. That was one of the reasons I loved them so much. They tried to distract me with a viewing of 'A Hard Day's Night,' which I knew had to have driven them insane, but they did it for me anyway. I managed to get them to laugh along with me when they kept calling Paul's grandfather a 'clean old man.'

After the movie was done and the girls decided to head to bed early, I moseyed around the apartment for the rest of the night, finding myself unable to sleep because I was so excited. I occasionally picked up my sketchbook and would draw something to distract me, wondering if I should bring it with me when I met PBW. I went to bed shortly after midnight even though I wasn't that tired, but I did not want to look like a tired old hag for my meeting with him. Unfortunately, I was woken up extremely early to the annoying sound of the telephone ringing.

I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was just after six thirty. _Who the hell would be calling me this early?_

"Hello?" I answered, my voice raspy and slow from sleep.

"Bella? Its mom, you need to come home, sweetie."

**EPOV**

As I walked back to my apartment early that morning, her words continued to ring through my ears. _Maybe we're just meant to be friends, Edward._ How the hell could she think that? Just friends my ass! Friends don't just do what we did, as often as we have done it and then act like nothing is going on. I got a handle on my frustration just as I walked through the front door of my place, pissed off with myself for not having gotten a coffee for the road before I left Common Grounds.

Pull your head out of your ass Cullen; I chastised myself as I tossed my newspaper on the counter after picking it up from in front of my door. I poured myself a big glass of orange juice, not eager to head back over to Common Grounds in case I ran into Bella and then I sat down on my couch, sipping it aimlessly as I looked across the room at my computer which I swear was mocking me. Bella claimed there was someone else she was interested in. Well hell if I didn't have someone I was interested in too.

I spent the next few hours developing some photos and trying to distract myself from the complete fuckery that was my life. Here I was just twelve hours ago making… umm… having sex with a wonderful, albeit quirky woman who had turned my life upside down in a short period of time. It was understandable that I would be frustrated with everything, because I had truly liked Bella and enjoyed spending time with her. However, now that I knew Bella was basically out of reach, I was more open to the prospect of meeting Penny.

So, as my last print was hanging in my darkroom, I mustered up all the courage I had and turned on my computer, shocked as hell when Penny came online a few minutes after me. I was even more surprised when she struck up a conversation with me considering how shitty I had left things the last time we had chatted. She had wanted to meet and I was developing feelings for Bella, so I disappeared. It was gutless, I know, but in hindsight it may have worked to my advantage because things between Bella and I were clearly not meant to be no matter how hard we worked at it.

_Friends,_ I reminded myself for the fortieth time since I had left Common Grounds this morning.

So I did the only thing I thought would make sense; I agreed to meet Penny on neutral ground when she asked me again. To top it all off, we were meeting for coffee at the Imagine Mosaic at Strawberry Fields in Central Park on Sunday afternoon. Yet another sign to me that we were perfect for each other. It was where I would have taken her if I had suggested it.

Once we had everything set, I took a long hot shower and tried to clear my mind, to no avail. I felt like an idiot for having epic fucking sex with Bella last night, only to accept a date with Penny for the very next day. If these girls ever learned of one another and put the timing together, this could be disastrous. If Bella and I remained friends and Penny and I became serious, how could I avoid them learning about our complicated pasts? I would most definitely be castrated by one if not both of them. I ran my fingers through my hair and tugged at the ends, making it painful, but at least it took my mind off of everything.

When I stepped from the shower, I made myself a quick bagel with schmear and then called Jasper, the voice of reason. He agreed to come over to talk me down from my ledge, but of course when he arrived, he had Emmett in tow. No good could come of this either.

"Okay, what's with the emotional breakdown? Did you run out of tampons?" asked Emmett as he walked in the door of my apartment with a wide grin on his face that I wanted to smack off of him. Jasper rolled his eyes and mumbled a quiet apology to me, which I didn't accept. "You look like someone ran over your dog."

"Why…. Just why?" I asked of Jasper again as I ignored Emmett and went to the fridge to grab us three beers. After all, it was five o'clock somewhere.

"I'm sorry man. Rosalie begged me to keep him distracted because they are having a huge sale down at her store and she is worried he is going to go and buy everything in creation. Apparently they can only have so many Liberators before she throws out her back," declared Jasper in all seriousness as I quirked my eye brows at him because I had no idea what he was talking about.

"What the fuck is a Liberator?

"You know… those sex ramp things?"

"What the hell is a sex ramp? Have I seriously lived such a sheltered life?"

"Dude… Rosalie's shop sells them but they also have them listed in the back of Playboy," stated Emmett excitedly as I rolled my eyes but he continued to go on. "We actually have the ramp and wedge combo with the cuff kit, just to keep things interesting. It's basically this small ramp that you can put on the bed or the floor and if she lies on it and you are on your knees, it raises her ass up a bit for better positioning. The cuff kit… best purchase ever, just brings in a little playful S&M into the bedroom…"

"Okay, no more," I shouted out as I raised my hand to silence Emmett. "That was way more than I needed to know about your sex life. Please never discuss this again. Jesus..." I took a huge swig of my beer as Emmett let out a dejected huff. How the fuck could he be upset that I didn't want to hear about his sexual deviance involving Rosalie?

"Okay… anyways, let's talk about Edward's issues now," said Jasper as he sat down on the couch beside Emmett and I grabbed a seat in my leather armchair, one of my more recent purchases in my attempt to decorate this place. "So… Bella huh?"

"That would be a no go actually," I said casually as both guys looked at me with wide eyes, apparently just as shocked as I was at the most recent turn of events. "Yeah… apparently she's interested in someone else and even though she likes me, she does like me enough to want anything else. I'm over it."

"Oh really?" questioned Emmett knowingly. "You're over it… just like that? Didn't you have a date with her last night?"

"Yeah."

"When did this date end?"

I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly and mumbled out a quiet 'this morning' that was caught by both of them. "Listen, it's not like it seems. Yeah… she's good, but she wants someone else. What am I supposed to do… force her to like me?" I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the feeling I had of not being good enough for her that I had earlier in the morning when we agreed to remain friends. "It's besides the point though cause I am going to meet Penny tomorrow."

"The computer girl that you told us about on the Fourth?" questioned Jasper, seeming to get more interested in the conversation now. I simply nodded my head as he leaned back against the couch and grew quiet, which worried me.

"What are you thinking about? You are always so quick to offer your opinion about everything."

"I'm worried."

"About what?"

"If you stay friends with Bella and something actually blossoms with this Penny chick, you could be in some trouble. I already know Bella is smart… is Penny? Do they own calendars?" he asked curiously, his mind practically reading mine as Emmett had a delayed reaction and finally broke out into laughter almost two minutes later.

"Shit, I know. I was thinking the same thing earlier."

"You are fucked man," continued Emmett as I nodded my head, feeling ashamed about the situation myself.

"There is one positive point here," said Jasper as I sipped my beer and begun to hang on his every word. He was always wise with his advice; no doubt he had something that would solve all my worries. "Bella is so fucking laid back about everything; she will probably just laugh off the whole situation. Hell, I bet if things with Penny got serious and you simply asked Bella not to say anything, she wouldn't. She seems like the kind of girl who wouldn't even squish a bug."

I stood up and began to pace my apartment as I let Jaspers words ruminate in my head. He was right. If I was in a serious relationship, there was no way that Bella would do anything to jeopardize that if we were friends. She would surely keep her mouth shut about the entire 'fucking two days before your first date' thing… right?

"Go on your date thingy with Penny and see where things go. After all, you could get there and she looks like Rosie O'Donnell or something," Jasper laughed casually as I let out a small groan. Sure, there was that small possibility that Penny was actually nothing like she described, but I had faith in her. She wouldn't purposefully mislead me.

I gave up over thinking everything and spent the next four hours drinking beer and playing Rock Band with my friends. It was nice to just hang out and do as little as possible. Around dinner time we ordered three different pizzas, because none of us like the same toppings and I smiled as I was reminded of when we all lived together. Overall, even though they came over to talk me down off the little ledge I had landed on, the afternoon turned out better than expected.

However, once my friends left and I settled in for the night, sleep did not come easily. I tossed and turned, nervous about my date the following morning with Penny. I finally dragged my tired ass out of bed at eight in the morning and went about my usual morning routine, time seeming to go slower than usual. Why was it that every time you were excited for something, it never happened fast enough.

I went to Common Grounds an hour later than usual, not looking forward to the prospect of seeing Bella and ruining the good mood I was in. Margaret immediately knew something was up, but didn't say anything, thank god. When I finally left the apartment just before eleven I hopped on the B Train at the West 4 Street and Washington Square station, taking it all the way up to 72nd Avenue and Central Park West, my leg shaking in my seat the entire time out of sheer nervousness. How the hell did people do this on a regular basis? I know people met online friends all the time, but it was the most nerve wracking thing I had ever done in my life.

As I disembarked the subway, I looked down at my watch and an over whelming desire to throw up coursed over my body. I grabbed a bottle of water from a local vendor as I walked across Central Park West and into Central Park itself. I knew exactly where we were meeting, and I walked through the warm summer sun towards my destination, feeling a little less nervous the closer I got to my destination. I was really hoping I would find Penny waiting for me, preventing me from sitting and waiting for her, but when I got there, it was just a family of four and some rough looking hippy guy sitting on a bench across the way with a sign in front of him that says 'Why Lie? I need a beer and peace and love.'

I sat down on a nearby bench, my iPod in my pocket as it switched to 'I Want You, She's so Heavy' by the Beatles no less. I leaned back slightly on the metal bench, chuckling to myself about the random song choice and stared up into the sky, thinking about how even though I was nervous, this could be an epic day in my life. She could be the one… The One. I tried not to put too emphasis on this and just try to enjoy the fact that I was meeting her, and regardless of what happened today, I would hope that we could be friends if nothing else. So I crossed my ankles in front of me and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I checked my email on my phone after half an hour and there was nothing from her, and I sighed sadly, but I didn't leave. Perhaps she just had the time of day screwed up.

The night grew dark and when I glanced at my phone again, it was almost eight. I had been waiting for eight hours. What the fuck was I thinking?

How god damn pathetic was I for sitting here that fucking long waiting for Penny? I grabbed at my hair and let out a noiseless scream of frustration. This was my pay back, I was certain of it. I had stupidly ran from our chat the first time she mentioned meeting in person and this was what I got in return? She had stood me up.

**A/N: So we don't usually offer up recommendations at the end of our chapters, but Nicole and I are both hopelessly loving 'Tilt' by Lamb Cullen and 'Illegal Contact' by GreenEyedGirl17. Oh and go read 'Breaking News' by WriteOnTime. This is another fabulous story that we are both addicted to!**


	16. Blackbird

**A/N: Flightlessbird11: A lot of people had questions after the last chapter, Whore.**

**Coldplaywhore: You mean like 'Why the hell didn't Bella call him?' and 'Who the fuck waits eight hours for a girl he met on the internet?'**

**Flightlessbird11: Yeah those ones.**

**Coldplaywhore: Well those questions and some other good stuff get answered in this chapter. I'm certain our lovely readers will enjoy the outcome of the chapter, or be even more frustrated.**

**Flightlessbird11: I suppose so. They should all be over the moon that we got this done so quickly though. Oh, and I offered up the services of myself and CPW in Ms Kathy's Earthquake Relief effort. Donate more than $5 and then email her the donation slip, and you will get a compilation of stories, outtakes and much more from some of the fandoms best writers.**

**Coldplaywhore: I convinced flb11 to write a quick one shot explaining how Paperback_Writer and PennyLane84 met. Who doesn't want to know that??**

**Flightlessbird11: So visit www(dot)mskathyff(dot)blogspot(dot)com for more information.**

**Coldplaywhore: As per usual, we don't own Twilight; but CPW has just downloaded the Avett Brothers last two albums and suggests you run and do it too!**

**BPOV**

_I looked at my alarm clock and saw that it was just after six thirty. _Who the hell would be calling me this early?

"_Hello?" I answered, my voice raspy and slow from sleep._

"_Bella? It's mom, you need to come home, sweetie."_

"What? Why? What happened?" I spat out, as quickly as I could manage given the fact that I was tired as hell. I had been having the most wonderful dream involving a faceless man who seemed to know everything about me; my needs, my desires, my flaws. It had been perfect, if only for a moment, and it was only appropriate that I would get woken up from it.

"Charlie had a heart attack last night, Bella. He's in the hospital," my mother said softly, sounding genuinely worried about her ex husband. I'd learned long ago that nothing was truly genuine when it came to Charlie and Renee, though.

"What? Oh my god. Where is he? Does he need to have surgery?" I stammered in confusion as I sat up and started to panic even more. "Oh my god. I'm leaving right now. I'll call you back with my flight details," I said as I threw the sheets off my body and flew out of bed.

I called United Airlines and booked the next available flight to Seattle out of New York which left at nine thirty in the morning. When I called Renee to let her know my flight information, she said she would pick me up once I arrived and take me back to her place. Renee then proceeded to tell me that he was currently stable, but I still needed to see him. He was my dad, and as much as I hated how his relationship with my mother turned out, I had decided to stay with him after they had gotten divorced and we were still very close.

I threw on whatever clothes were lying around on my floor and just started tossing clothes into a duffle bag, not even looking at what was going in there, or if it was clean. Then again, not looking at what I put on my body wasn't exactly out of the ordinary for me. I made sure I at least put in an even number of tops and bottoms and some bras and underwear so I didn't have to buy anything while I was gone. I didn't know how long I'd be in Forks, but I was going to make it my mission to make sure my dad was okay before I left him to come home to Manhattan.

I left Alice and Rose a note on the kitchen explaining where I had gone and why, knowing that they would call as soon as they could. I knew they would both bitch and complain that I hadn't woken them up to explain what was going on, but I couldn't find it in me to do it. They needed their sleep and I needed to focus on getting to Seattle as soon as possible. If I was on the plane or something when they tried to call, I would definitely call them once I got to Forks to let them know how everything was going. Fuck, I didn't even know if they were home or with Emmett and Jasper. I couldn't concentrate on anything but getting home to see my father.

I took a taxi to JFK and made it through security in record time, but almost fell flat on my face trying to put my shoe back on after I had gone through the metal detector. I ended up with only a few minutes to wait before I got to board. I was also excited that the flight had a few open seats and there was no one beside me. I would definitely catch up on my sleep on the flight. Not many people were flying out to the rainiest place in the country in the middle of the summer.

I finally sat down on the plane and as soon as we were given the okay, I pulled out my iPod once again. The music seemed to calm my nerves slightly, but as soon as 'It's Only Love' by the Beatles came through my headphones, I froze as a shot of panic coursed through me. I realized that I was supposed to meet PBW at noon, and now I had no way of telling him that I couldn't be there. I quickly pulled out my cell phone but then I remembered that I was thousands of feet above the ground, and there was no way to tell him that I couldn't make it.

I leaned forward and buried my head in my hands, because nothing could ever go right for me lately. I was always screwing something up. Maybe that was another reason I was so hesitant to be with Edward. I knew that I couldn't be with him the right way; that I would somehow mess it up without even trying. It was just inevitable for me to mess up the good things that happened in my life.

I felt a tear slide down my cheek as my emotions took over. There I was, waiting in an airplane, waiting to see my father who had just suffered from a heart attack. Then I realize that I've blown off someone I'd been waiting a long time to meet, and I go thinking about Edward, the guy I might actually… like. No, there was no question, I definitely liked him, but I had just convinced myself that I couldn't like him. A few more tears escaped as a baby started wailing, and I realized that I wasn't alone. It sure as hell felt like I was, though.

Five hours later, the plane was landing in Seattle, and I had crazy hair because I had slept oddly against the window. I pulled it up into a loose ponytail out of fear of the comments my mother might make about it. Yeah, she was the type to criticize my hair when Charlie was lying in a hospital bed. I threw my bag over my shoulder and exited the plane, searching around for a few minutes before my eyes finally caught site of Renee. She looked the same as the last time I had seen her, when I flew home for Christmas last year. To her credit though, she did have tired circles under her eyes, and I could tell by the look of it that she'd recently fixed a case of crazy hair also.

"Hi, Mom," I said, startling her slightly and giving her a tight hug.

"Oh, Bella dear, Charlie will be so happy to see you. He's just miserable in that hospital room all alone," Renee told me as we both pulled out of our hug. My eyebrows furrowed at her statement.

"You've been to see Dad?" I asked. I had assumed that she had only heard of my father's situation, not that she had actually been to see him. That was certainly something I hadn't been expecting her to do.

"Of course I went to see him, Bella." We started walking through the airport and towards her car. "I used to be married to the man and he is the father of my only child, what did you expect me to do? Let him sit alone in a cold hospital room?"

I was baffled by her attitude towards this. I had long since assumed that my mother didn't want anything to do with Charlie since their divorce, and even more so now that she had gotten remarried three years ago. "No, I guess it does make sense. I just thought with Phil and everything, that you wouldn't want to."

"Silly Bella. Just because Charlie and I aren't _in love_ anymore, doesn't mean that I don't love him. He's your father; I didn't stop caring about him magically as soon as we signed the divorce papers." I stared at my mother for a moment and felt a little shell shocked. This brought a new light to my view of my parent's relationship and failed marriage. Great, five minutes alone with my mother and I am already questioning all my life choices. I could only imagine where sitting in the hospital talking to Charlie would bring me.

My mother and I spent our entire car ride home to her place discussing some of my misconceptions about my parents' relationship. She also then began asking me about life back in New York and I told her all about Rosalie, Alice and my job but never mentioned Edward or PBW. What would I say to her about that fuckery?

Almost four hours later, Renee and I were pulling up to her small house in Port Angeles, which was convenient for me because Charlie was in the Port Angeles Hospital. I checked my cell phone and saw that it was nearly eight o'clock in the evening or eleven back in New York. My stomach was noisily begging for me to eat something, since the last thing I'd had was the two muffins and three cups of coffee I devoured on the plane. Renee offered to cook me something, and I showered while she was in the kitchen. The hot spray of the shower was somewhat relaxing, but I couldn't stop thinking about my father, and what my mother had told me about their relationship during the ride here. All these years I'd thought they despised each other, since they had rarely spoken to each other after their divorce when I lived at home, and then I went off to college and assumed that they'd stayed away from each other. I guess I had been wrong.

I got out of the shower and ate the chicken cutlets that Renee has cooked up for me, before I headed for bed. I was so emotionally exhausted from the day that I didn't have the energy to stay up any longer, especially since my eyes kept closing of their own volition. Renee assured me that Charlie was doing alright and since visiting hours had already ended at the hospital, I decided to give up the ghost and go to sleep. I set my alarm so I would be up bright and early and then I could stay with Charlie all day the next day.

When I woke up, an unusually rare glow of the sun was pouring through the window of my mother's guest room, as if it were a symbol or something that today wouldn't actually suck. It was as if there would be no clouds looming over me in the sky that day. I got up and went downstairs to find a note from Renee, saying that she'd gone to work and would be at the hospital after she got off. She said that I could use her car, since she'd taken Phil's, since he was away for a game.

I hopped into Renee's car and drove the ten minutes to the hospital. I asked for Charlie's room, promptly letting the nurse at the front desk know that I was his daughter. She told me he was in Room 221, and so I nervously headed up to see him. I wasn't nervous about talking to him, about being careful with what I said like I was with my mother, but I was terrified of seeing him lying in a hospital bed. The idea of my dad not being the strong man that I always knew him as scared me, but I knew it would never change my vision of him.

"Hey, Dad," I said, my voice already thick with the threatening tears. He looked so fragile lying there and it was rough on me because he had always been my rock.

"Hey, kiddo," he said, his face lighting up immediately when he saw me. I walked into the room and grabbed a chair, dragging it over to the side of his bed. "What are you doing here?" I laughed at his absurd question.

"Dad, come on, you had a heart attack. I would have gone to Australia if I had to," I told him honestly.

"For little ol' me?" he asked, his face forming into a smirk. He was trying to lighten the mood, I could tell from the slight sadness trying to hide behind his eyes.

"Of course, Dad," I said as I flew from the chair and wrapped my arms around him. More tears spilled from my eyes, no doubt staining my cheeks and running down onto Charlie's hospital gown. He wrapped his arms around me as well, and we just stayed like that, even though the position I was in was killing my back. "No more scaring me like that, okay?" I mumbled into his shoulder.

"You got it, kiddo."

We talked for a bit after that, I watched as Charlie ate his disgusting liquid diet and when he was finished, he practically threw me out of the room so I could get something to eat, since my stomach had been grumbling noisily through our entire conversation.

"Mom said she was going to come by after work," I told him after I'd come back from the cafeteria. I'd managed to swallow some soup and half of a sandwich that I had gotten from the cafeteria. Sadly it was the best that they had.

"Yeah, she told me she would be back," Charlie said with a wistful chuckle. I couldn't help but be curious about how he felt about his and my mother's relationship, now that I had this new perspective on it.

"So you two are getting along? Cause I was surprise when she mentioned that she visited you."

"We get along pretty good, Bells. She's your mother, and I will always love her, in a way," he told me, sounding completely honest. I was shocked, seeing as Renee had told me almost the exact same thing. It was like the universe was sitting in the room laughing at me for being such an idiot to think my parents actually hated each other. Then again, with the memories I was left with, what else was I supposed to think, really?

"I can see that. Now," I started, I cleared my throat and tried to think of how to phrase my next words. "I just… always thought you guys hated each other. You two hardly spoke after the divorce, and when you did it was about me."

"You know, Bells, just because your mom and I didn't work out, doesn't mean we didn't love each other. Some people just grow apart." I looked up at him and nodded in response. "I know you hate that we stayed together for so long when we shouldn't have, but we did it for you. The love that parents have for their kid, it makes them forget about themselves, and sometimes it blows up in our faces," he laughed and I joined him, trying to process this new information.

All these years I'd thought that my parents were being selfish in staying together, trying to prove something to each other by staying married. It wasn't until then, sitting in a hospital room with my father, that I truly began to understand why they did it. They were both unhappy, that part was obvious, but their love for me overshadowed their love for each other, and how it had faded away.

"Wow, I never really saw it that way," I said finally, the reality of their relationship hitting me like a ton of bricks. They loved me enough to try and make me happy, even though they weren't happy themselves. They sacrificed so much for me, and I would never be able to thank them enough for it.

"I'll never regret being married to your mother, Bella. She brought me you and you're the best thing that ever happened to me." I flew out of my chair for the second time that day and hugged Charlie tightly. "Love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too, Dad."

We hung out again for a while after that until Renee got there. It was a little awkward at first, but the three of us seemed to get along better now that we were all adults. Renee and I left at eight once visiting hours were over and we went back to her house where she cooked me dinner again. After I ate, I headed up to the guest room and got changed, still a little wired from my day with Charlie, but not really tired enough to try and sleep.

I plopped myself down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, twirling my hair aimlessly through my fingers. I began wondering what was happening back home, since I had only heard from Alice and Rose the day before, when all of a sudden, it hit me.

I never emailed PBW explaining why I never met him.

"Shit!" I said, a little too loudly. I slapped my hand over my mouth and snuck downstairs and over to Renee's computer.

I started it up and signed onto my PennyLane84 account, but PBW was nowhere to be found. I typed up a quick email, telling him that I'd that I had to go back home for a few days after my father had a heart attack. I couldn't help but feel like if I left it less specific, PBW would question the truth of the situation. I apologized about ten times and sent it, hoping to hell that he would find it in himself not to hate me. I was beginning to think I was never meant to meet this guy since every time I tried, something got in the way. I sighed and shut down the computer, dragging my now tired ass back up the stairs where I got into bed and fell into a restless sleep.

The next two days followed in a similar fashion, I would get up and go see Charlie, Renee would come by after work and she and I would come home and cook dinner. On the third day, I walked into Charlie's room and saw him talking to one of his nurses. The way they looked at each other, I could tell something was up, but I didn't want to bother him about it, but his eyes were definitely brighter whenever she visited.

Charlie's doctor said that he would be able to go home the following day and I offered to stay with him for the first few days, but Charlie assured me that he would be fine and that he had Renee if he needed anything. I called the airport and got the first flight out of Seattle for the next day, spending the rest of the day with Charlie.

Renee drove me to the airport bright and early the next morning and I couldn't help but feel nervous at the prospect of returning home. I had been too chicken to log onto Renee's computer after the first time I emailed PBW, because I was afraid of two things, one, that PBW hated me and sent me an email telling me that he was no longer interested in meeting me, or two, that there was no response from him at all. I wasn't sure which option was worse.

Then I thought about Edward, which I had done regularly during my time away. I missed him, that was for sure. I knew that I wanted to see him when I got home, but I wasn't sure about how to do it. I mean, I was pretty much a bitch to him the last time we spoke, and I hadn't made any efforts to call him while I was away, so he probably wasn't as eager to see me as I was to see him. Hell, he probably hated me, too.

I sat on the plane and put on my iPod, feeling a little more at ease with the song that came through the headphones.

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night  
Take these broken wings and learn to fly  
All your life  
You were only waiting for this moment to arise_

_Black bird singing in the dead of night  
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see  
All your life  
You were only waiting for this moment to be free_

_Blackbird fly, blackbird fly_

**EPOV**

"Eight hours dude, that is a little pathetic," laughed Emmett as I sat on the couch in their apartment and Jasper handed me a beer. After the whole situation with Penny and her standing me up, only to email two days later to tell me that she had to rush home for an apparent emergency, I was pretty fucking bummed.

"Stop asking questions about it then," I stammered angrily as I twisted open the beer and took a long swig of it. Jasper took his spot beside me on the couch and grabbed his guitar to prepare for our next round of Rock Band. Emmett was singing and I was on drums, the worst possible choice for me.

"I'm not questioning it Edward, I'm saying it's stupid." Jasper let out a loud laugh along with Emmett and I simply rolled my eyes. I knew it was moronic on my part to discuss everything that had happened with these two idiots, well… one idiot and Jasper, but I had to discuss it with someone after stewing about it for a few days.

"I wouldn't wait that long for any girl. Not even Rosalie if she promised me a threesome with another girl for it," added Emmett again as Jasper and I both rolled our eyes because if there was one person who never knew when to shut up, it was Emmett. "No wait… if she said we could have a threesome I would wait longer than eight hours. Penny wasn't going to have some sort of freaky deaky sex with you was she?"

"Of course not Em," I yelled out in frustration as he laughed at me for a moment before turning all serious. Jasper was quick to silence our confusing argument and I was relieved as we began playing the next song on Rock Band, which was Panic at the Disco!

It was now Thursday in the early evening and we had decided that a boys night in was exactly what we needed to take our mind off of things. Jasper told me that the girls has been a little distracted over the past few days, and I truly didn't think anything of it until Emmett took a call from Rosalie a little over an hour after I had arrived at their place. There was a bunch of head nodding on Emmett's part and a few 'uh-huh's' before he finally hung up the phone and looked at us like he was some sort of superhero, with his hands firmly on his hip.

"We're going to the girls place," said Emmett casually as I began to shake my head from side to side. I wasn't ready to see Bella yet. I was still crushed by her rejection even though I had actually very casually about the entire thing at the time. I wasn't going to push her into a relationship with me if she didn't want one. It wasn't my style. "Don't worry man, Bella isn't there. She had to go home a few days ago."

Hmm interesting, I thought to myself quickly as we all finished the last of our beers and grabbed a cab over to the girls' brownstone. There was an awesome pizza joint two blocks away so we picked up two pizzas there and walked the rest of the way to see the girls, who were ecstatic that we showed up with food.

"You boys are lifesavers. We've had to make due with microwaveable food all week since Bella had to rush home," stated Rosalie enthusiastically as Alice took the pizzas from us and brought them into the kitchen, Jasper following close behind her. "Do you know how bad that shit is?" I watched with envy as Emmett scooped Rosalie up into a huge bear hug and kissed her sweetly on the lips. How was it that my two best friends had someone so important in their lives and I had no one? Oh wait, I had someone but she decided she didn't like me enough and the other girl I liked stood me up. My life was a fucking soap opera these days.

"Where is Bella anyways?" I asked casually as I followed everyone towards the living room. Alice had pulled some plates out of their cupboard and was passing them out as Emmett dove into the first box of supreme pizza with fervor.

"She didn't tell you?" yelled out Alice from the kitchen as she had ran back to get us each a beer, which I took eagerly.

"We haven't spoken in about a week," I said with the shrug of my shoulders as Alice shot me a pointed look and then shook her head. There was clearly something else going on in her mind and I took a mental note to ask her about it when there wasn't three other people in the room with us.

"Oh," she replied coolly as I noticed her and Rosalie exchange weird looks before she continued speaking. "Bella's dad had a heart attack very early Saturday morning. She left for Seattle early that morning and left us a note saying she had gone. Thankfully, he's recovering wonderfully and she is on her way home tonight. I think her flight is due to land around 8 or something."

Holy Fuck.

"Did you just say her dad had a heart attack?" I asked as my heart leapt out of my chest and my mind began moving a mile a minute. How odd was it that Bella's dad had a heart attack and she had to fly home unexpectedly, because the exact same thing had happened to Penny. Heart attacks were fairly commonplace right? It was possible that this was simply a coincidence, but what if it wasn't?

"Yeah. He's a police chief back in her small hometown of Forks in Washington State. I guess he had been out at a late night disturbance call and his years of drinking beer, eating bacon and having no regard for his health came back to bite him in the ass," said Rosalie simply as she took a bite of her pizza and Emmett began rubbing her shoulders supportively.

I put my pizza down on my plate and pushed it away from me, having suddenly lost my appetite. In fact, the next two hours flew by quickly as I became enthralled in my thoughts, wondering if Bella and Penny could in fact be the same person. Every now and again someone would ask me if I was fine because I hadn't eaten and I wasn't watching the Entourage marathon with the rest of them, but I just brushed them off. I just needed the time to think.

Surely if she was Penny there had to be some sign here at her place that pointed to it right? I began to think about everything I knew about Penny to see if any of it made sense in regards to Bella. Penny was a dog walker, but I saw no dog walking things here in the house. Then again, what does a dog walker need anyways? Penny had a love of the Beatles, but there were no CD's in the living room or anything that pointed to them being one in the same.

"I'm going to the bathroom," announced Emmett with a loud groan after we had finished the fourth episode of Entourage. As he walked down the hallway to their powder room on the main floor, I had a brilliant idea.

"There's another bathroom upstairs right?" I questioned as Alice just nodded her head and motioned up the stairs before proceeding to kiss Jasper again. I jumped from my seat and practically darted up the stairs, everyone no doubt assuming that I desperately had to go to the bathroom, but that wasn't the case. I had to do some recognizance work.

Once I reached the top of the stairs, I tip toed slowly into Bella's bedroom and closed the door behind me, looking around intently at everything for some sort of sign. She had only a few Beatles CD's in her collection, which disheartened me slightly, but then again, she could have her iPod filled with them like I did. She had a picture on her dresser of herself a few years prior and a slightly older and stocky guy in a police uniform, this was no doubt her father and a felt a small ache in my heart knowing that someone so important to her had been sick. He looked like he was so proud of her in that photo.

"We're going to start the next episode Edward," called up Jasper from the main floor and I just called down to him that I would be down in a moment and for him to start without me. I had to keep looking. There had to be something.

"Jesus, calm down Cullen. You're grasping at straws here if you think Penny and Bella are the same damn person," I cursed to myself quietly as I shook my head. That really was wishful thinking on my part wasn't it? Fuck, it would certainly solve all of my issues if they were the same beautiful, flighty and completely confusing girl. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. A tiny white t-shirt with Jack Skellington on it, covered in dirty dog paw prints.

"Fuck me," I mouthed to myself as I picked up the shirt and admired it for a moment before putting it back where I had found it. Could it really be true? I ran my hands over my face in confusion and ran to the bathroom, where I splashed my face with cold water before finally flushing the toilet so it seemed like I had actually done something in there other than snoop in the bedroom of my sometime lover and apparent internet crush. This was fucked up.

When I took my seat again in the living room moments later, Emmett looked over at me with confusion clear on his face. "I was starting to think you fell in buddy," he stated as I rolled my eyes and pushed my hair back from my face nervously. I was about to answer him when suddenly the front door opened and in came Bella looking harried yet beautiful.

"Aww a welcome home party, you really didn't have too," she laughed sarcastically as she dropped her bag by the front door as she shut it and Rosalie and Alice jumped off the laps of their respective boyfriends and made their way towards her, wrapping her in a huge hug. "Well that is a nice surprise."

"Hey Baby Bell, how is your dad doing?" asked Emmett the moment the girls had finished hugging and Bella moved over to sit on the couch beside Jasper. She collapsed with a loud huff and I could tell she was tired and I immediately felt bad for her. Then I began thinking about how she was Penny and how much I had wanted her, without knowing it was her. My eyes opened wide as I practically stared at her, taking in every tiny detail of her as I tried to determine how it worked with Penny; if it worked with Penny.

"He's hanging in there Em, thanks for asking. He's gonna be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and is gonna spend a few days at my mom's place recuperating," Bella stated as I looked down at the red and white striped socks she worse and smiled. Penny liked knee socks, I thought to myself with a small grin.

"Woah… he's staying with your mom?" stated Alice incredulously as she came back a moment later with a bottle of champagne and was drinking straight from it. She handed it to Bella who took a large gulp before continuing her story.

"Well apparently my parents are friends," she said with a slight laugh which caught me off guard. "They love each other, but they are not in love with each other, so even though they stayed together when they weren't in love, they had the best of intentions."

"Your parents are weird," Rosalie added as took the bottle of champagne when it was offered. "To Charlie."

"Yes, to Charlie," I said casually as Bella took the bottle from my hands and I watched… ok, I blatantly stared as she lifted it to her mouth and tipped it back, enjoying the burn as it went down her throat.

We spent the next two hours drinking everything that was in their apartment and celebrating the fact that Charlie was getting better, as well as the fact that Bella was coming to terms with her parents fucked up situation. When I glanced at the clock and saw it was getting close to eleven, I figured I should be heading home and thought that Emmett and Jasper would probably be spending the night with their girls. I was completely taken aback by what happened next though, because Bella spoke to me and she hadn't done that all evening. Well, not directly anyways.

"Can I talk to you alone for a few minutes?" she asked as I nodded my head and watched as she stood up and headed up the stairs. The other two couples were so busy pawing each other they didn't even flinch as I followed Bella up to her bedroom. When I walked in, she was sitting on the edge of her bed and patting the mattress beside her, signaling for me to sit down. "I'm sorry about everything that has happened between us. Tonight seemed strained… like we couldn't even talk to each other again."

"You don't need to apologize Bella. Sometimes things happen for a reason, and maybe you and I were meant to not be together… romantically," I stated, somewhat drunkenly, although I really hoped it wasn't true. I glanced back over at her dirty Jack Skellington t-shirt and smiled, hoping that there was some other master plan in the works for the two of us, one that meant we would end up together forever preferably. "If you need a friend, that's what I am here for," I added as I wrapped my arm over her shoulder and tugged her close to me as Bella rested her head on my shoulder and settled into my side.

"And if I needed more?" she said so quietly I wasn't even sure I heard her correctly.

"Define more?" I asked stoically, expecting her to verbalize what was going through that beautiful mind of hers. However, Bella had different plans, because before I knew it she was straddling my legs as her hands grasped my face firmly in her hands and she began kissing me with more intensity and passion than she ever had before. I grabbed her forearms tightly in my hands and pulled her away from me, much to the displeasure of both of us.

"I can't…" I stated as I looked up into her sad eyes and felt like shit. Here was the girl of my dreams, practically begging me to fuck her since her hand was now pressing my shorts against my straining cock, and I was having second thoughts. _This won't work out good if she really is Penny_.

I suddenly felt like I had the devil on one shoulder urging me to fuck her, saying that she needed it after her long, stressful week and the angel on my other shoulder telling me to be honest with her and just ask if she is Penny.

"What do you think of the Beatles?" I asked as Bella shot me a look of confusion as she suddenly peeled her t-shirt off over her head and she was left in just a bra and the tight jeans she had come home in. She quirked her eye brows before smiling gently at me.

"That is the most random question I have ever been asked while trying to get sympathy sex out of someone," she laughed as she tilted her bead back and the most beautiful smile broke out across her face. "Yes Edward, I love the Beatles. My iPod is probably like seventy five percent Beatles tunes. My favorite song is Penny Lane, what about you… do you like them?"

I fucking love them; I laughed quietly to myself as I nodded my head slowly and leaned forward to kiss her gently. My tongue moved slowly against her bottom lip and as she opened her mouth I was quick to dart my tongue inside as my mouth began sucking on her. Even after a long flight and lord knows what else she had been through today, she still tasted like heaven to me. Bella ground her hot pussy against my aching cock, the fabric between us feeling like a fucking prison at that exact moment.

I grabbed Bella's ass and twisted our bodies until she was on her back on the bed, her legs open and me kneeling between them. I glanced over towards the door quickly and noticed it was still slightly open, so I jumped from her bed and was desperate to close it and lock it. When I turned back around, Bella was tugging her jeans and panties off which was making me hard as rock. "Take them off Edward," she more or less ordered me as I moved closer to the bed and began to fiddle with my belt before unzipping my shorts and letting them slide to the floor. "The boxers too."

I nodded my head, pulled off my shirt and then my boxers, so within moments I was completely naked and so was Bella. My eyes moved along her bare body, appraising her with a wide smile. She really was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on, and I couldn't help the way she made me feel every time she was just in my company. Even sitting on the couch watching TV with our friends tonight, I wanted to reach out and pull her to my side, to play with her hair gently or kiss her temple. I wanted her to be mine. I just needed to figure out how to make that happen.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly as I shook the thoughts from my head and climbed onto the bed beside her. I wrapped my arms around her and held her naked body against mine, desperate just to feel her and nothing else. "Hell, you are acting like the one who's dad had a heart attack, not me," she said with a gentle laugh as I kissed the corner of her mouth sweetly and I began to stroke her hair slowly.

"Sorry I wasn't there for you while he was sick. I would have you know… I would have gone with you or simply listened to you on the phone bitch and complain about shitty hospital food," I stated without remorse as Bella turned her body around to face me and she reached her hand up to my cheek and cupped it gently.

"Don't apologize," she stated as she rolled again, this time positioning herself on top of me, her wet pussy moving slowly against my cock, which was throbbing at being so close to her but not inside of her. Bella reached over above me and opened her nightstand, which was the universal move for getting a condom, everyone knew that. I watched hungrily as she slipped off of me slightly and tore open the package with her teeth, her eyes boring down on mine as she sheathed me quickly before moving back into position. "Please don't apologize for not being there for me. You are doing what I need you to do right now, Edward."

Before I could even respond to her, Bella had grasped the base of my dick and was guiding me into her slickness, both of us responding with equally guttural growls at how tight she was. Fuck, even if I had her forever, I would never get over how fucking tight she felt around me.

No further words were exchanged as Bella moved up and down against my cock, her soft moans filling the room as I watched in awe at how beautiful she was. Her hands went up to her own breasts and she began massaging them firmly before I reached up and rested my hands over hers, following her movements. "Oh god, Edward," she moaned quietly as I sat up slightly and began kissing her collarbone gently. When Bella's hands fell from her breasts, I wrapped my arms around her tightly and sat up even more till we were both wrapped around each other, her hands now threading through my hair and pulling me closer to her for what honestly had to be one of the most erotic kisses of my life.

As Bella and I moved our bodies in sync with one another, edging closer to our mutual release, I knew this was different. At least for me it was different. Every other sexual encounter with Bella had been primal, overwhelming and desperate. Tonight… fuck tonight was a hundred times better. It was gentle, tender and all consuming. Our fingers ghosted gently over each inch of skin we could discover, but neither of us seemed eager to let go of our hold on the other.

I felt my cock twitch impatiently within Bella and I knew I was close to release, but I wanted her to come before me. Fuck, I needed her to come before me. Like on cue, Bella suddenly arched her back and I leaned forward burying my face into her neck as I bit down on the skin of her neck fiercely as she exploded around me, bringing about my own ecstasy.

We remained wrapped around each other for several moments, each of us struggling to control our breathing as Bella suddenly kissed my gently on the lips. "You bit me."

"Yeah, about that," I said with a nervous sigh as she grabbed my face in her hands and kissed me again, this time with more passion.

"It was so fucking hot." I quickly made a mental note that Bella liked biting and was about to adjust myself so we were both comfortable, but Bella held onto my tightly. "Stay. Please stay tonight," she practically begged as I nodded my head but moved her off of my lap so I could dispose of the condom in her garbage can near her bed.

When I was done, I pulled her against me and she rested her head against my chest and wrapped her legs around mine. "Thank You," she whispered quietly as I began stroking her soft hair and she began to nod off.

"No… thank you Penny," I whispered against her hair as I kissed her goodnight and let sleep claim me as well.


	17. Fixing A Hole

**A/N:**

**FLB11: Ohh lookie, we're back, and it's Sunday! We think that it's pretty safe for us to say that we're back onto our regular posting schedule :) Who's excited about that besides us??  
CPW: You're nuts.  
FLB11: Yeah? What else is new? You always tell me that.  
CPW: Anyways, we hope you enjoy this chapter as we're finally making some progress. ****_**looks at readers who want to kick Bella's ass****_**  
FLB11: We don't own Twilight, but we both share a love for Kasey Kahne. Just Sayin'**

**EPOV**

When my eyes fluttered open the next morning, I was shocked to find that I had someone wrapped in my arms, and not loosely either. I had such a tight grip on this person that I was shocked she was still able to breathe. I rubbed my eyes for a moment with my hand that was resting on top of her body and a smile crossed my face when I saw Bella nestled against my chest. I let out a huge sigh and took the time that she was still asleep to simply enjoy being with her, unsure of when or if this would happen again.

I brushed her hair from her face gently, desperately trying not to wake her up. She looked so fucking beautiful with her eyes closed tightly and her chest moving up and down slowly in rhythm with her breathing. I still couldn't believe that this wonderful creature was Penny… _my Penny_, who I had spent the last few months conflicted over, but secretly wanted with every fiber of my being. She stirred slightly in my arms, but snuggled closer to me instead of pulling away, and my heart was overwhelmed by her simple, yet intimate, movement.

It seemed like it was just a few short minutes that I watched her sleep, but when Bella did truly stir awake, I looked up at the clock and was shocked that it was almost ten in the morning. I had been watching her for over an hour already.

"Good morning you," she said sleepily as I watched her rub the sleep from her eyes and then roll out of my grasp and onto her back, her beautiful, creamy white breasts completely exposed to me.

"Well it's certainly a great morning," I replied with a laugh as Bella noticed that she was uncovered and quickly grabbed the sheets and pulled them back up over her chest. "Well, now it sucks." I leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on her pink rosy cheek, trying to reassure her that she should feel comfortable with me.

"Thanks for staying last night," she mumbled so quietly I wasn't even sure I had heard it. Bella looked so small and fragile with her sheets clutched tightly in her hands covering her body. I could only hope that she would bounce back to the awkward, flighty, outgoing woman that I knew.

"You're welcome," I replied honestly as I kissed her once more and her stomach grumbled loudly, shockingly so. In fact, I don't think I had ever heard Emmett's stomach be so loud before and he was always hungry. "I think we should feed this beast before it starts to attack New York City." Bella blushed slightly but nodded her head in agreement as she attempted to slyly slide out of bed, taking the top sheet with her as she wrapped it around her body. I propped my head up on my hand and watched as she went to take one step and fell flat on her face with a loud 'omph'. "Oh my god, are you okay?" I asked with concern as I practically sprinted over to her side of the bed and helped her up.

"I'm fine. A little embarrassed, but otherwise I'm fine," she said as her blush continued to spread across her face and her chest. It was endearing and attractive if I was being honest with myself. "Umm… Edward, can you get dressed? It's a little distracting with you wandering around my bedroom buck naked," Bella stated as I looked down and completely forgot I had no clothes on.

"Are you sure you want me to get dressed?" I asked as I winked at her and Bella's blush grew again.

"Oh… um… yes… please yes," she replied somewhat spastically as I chuckled and grabbed my clothes from the floor, as I began putting them back on. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower. Like seriously, five minutes. Make yourself comfortable and we can go get some breakfast in about fifteen minutes, if you don't mind?" Bella looked completely flustered as she stood up again, the sheet still wrapped around her small lithe body, but this time she picked it up at the bottom and pulled the fabric through her legs so that it wasn't dragging along the floor. I laughed again as she turned on her heel and stepped into her bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her.

While Bella was gone, I tried to think of places I could take her for breakfast. I didn't exactly want to go home and get dressed into something fancy, so we had to do something casual. I knew a great little café a few blocks away called Benny's that did a great breakfast burrito and their omelets and pancakes were to die for, but I wasn't sure what Bella felt like eating, if anything. Sure her stomach was louder than Yankees Stadium during the World Series, but she may not actually want to go eat with me. I began to assume she was simply placating me, but decided against it since she asked me to stay last night.

My mind began to run a mile a minute as I heard the water in her bathroom shut off, signaling she was done with her shower. I couldn't help but think that perhaps she was simply appeasing me because she really wanted the computerized version of me. However, Bella didn't realize that I was her Paperback_Writer and this was going to make our entire situation a little more tenuous until I could figure out how to break the news to her. Then again, I already managed to put two and two together. _Is it possible Bella already knows that I am her PBW?_

When she walked out of the shower in the tiniest towel I had ever seen, she looked at me with a wide smile and I gasped, since she took my breath away. My entire train of thought was simply gone. What the hell had I been thinking about? "Do you want me to leave while you get dressed?" I questioned. Bella blushed slightly, causing my cock to spring to life.

"No, it's not like you haven't seen it all, several times over," she laughed nervously as she turned from me and dropped the towel, her luscious ass on full display and I had to keep from getting down on my knees and simply biting it. By the time I managed to get out of my daydream, Bella was fully dressed and had her eyebrow cocked as she looked at me with a nervous smile.

"Where do you want to go? I was thinking about this little hole in the wall diner a few blocks from here," I stated as Bella's smile grew wide as I checked her out in her faded blue jeans and very tight t-shirt with 'The Who' on it. Of course she liked The Who, she also loved The Beatles.

"Benny's, right? I love that place. They have the best fricking breakfast burritos in all of Manhattan," she said as I wrapped my arms around her, unsure if this was stepping over some line or not. I kissed her sweetly on the cheek and then pulled away, entwining her fingers in mine as I moved to pull her from the room.

"Let's go," I stated firmly as Bella grabbed for a small bag on top of her dresser before she let me lead her down the stairs and out of her home.

Our walk over to Benny's went by way too quickly because we talked constantly the entire time about our families. Penny and Paperback_Writer hadn't spoken much about their families in the online chats, so I knew it was a fairly innocuous discussion topic. Bella expressed her concerns over her father's heart attack and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and did my best to console her. However, it wasn't until we finally sat down at the booth in Benny's that we really got to the heart of the matter.

"My parents' relationship basically ruined me for ever having a serious boyfriend," Bella admitted as she looked over the menu once and then closed it, laying it on the table in front of her. I quirked my eyebrow at her slightly and she simply shrugged her shoulder. "Oh, I always order the same thing, but I have to check if they added anything new to the menu."

"Well, that's understandable," I responded as our waitress came by and took our order, both of us getting coffee, a breakfast burrito and a side order of hash browns. It was something little, but the fact that we had ordered the same breakfast made me smile more than it should have. "So… what was wrong with your parents' relationship?"

"They divorced while I was in high school and I knew they weren't happy in their marriage, and I really thought they would do something about it, but they didn't," she admitted as she fiddled with a sugar packet on the table, clearly nervous about this topic. "They probably should have cut their losses while I was in elementary school, but they stayed together, claiming they thought it was in my best interest. However, the only thing it did for me was make me leery of love and relationships."

"I'm sorry," I admitted honestly as my heart sank in my chest. "How long was your longest relationship?"

"Well, since you don't count as a relationship," she said genuinely and I simply nodded my head because it was true, we weren't in any sort of relationship… yet. "Three weeks."

"No shit?" I said with a laugh as Bella buried her face in her hands, clearly mortified. "I'm not giving you grief about it. My mother claims I am too particular in my search for someone to share my life with. She's always trying to hook me up with girls back in Chicago because she wants me to move home. Then again, we have talked about our crazy mothers in the past, remember the Fourth of July?"

"I remember. Hell, I think I referred to my mother as Hitler. I take that back by the way; she's calmed somewhat in the past few months, so I think she's more of a Napoleon. Plus she's short like him, so it works," Bella laughed as I joined her and hoped to god that her mother actually looked nothing like either Hitler or Napoleon since they said that daughters tend to look like their mothers when they got older. Fuck, now I was thinking about Bella in twenty years. "Anyways, when I went home, I talked to my parents and they made me realize that even though in my eyes their relationship was an utter failure, there was no lack of love, trust or respect between them."

"Well that's good right?" I questioned, hoping more than anything that it was good. I didn't want her to be scared of relationships, especially since I wanted one with her.

"Yeah, it's good. I mean, I need to get over my hang ups about relationships and manage something more than a friendship for three weeks," laughed Bella as our waitress brought our coffees and Bella ripped open the package of sugar she had been fidgeting with and poured it into her cup. I glanced over at the table across from us and the lady sitting there was reading some trashy magazine with some awkward looking woman on the cover. "What are you looking at?"

"That magazine the woman is holding. Who the hell is on the cover?"

"Heidi Montag. Alice used to make us watch 'The Hills' because she thought Heidi and Spencer were fucking hilarious. It was just painful in my opinion. Anyways, on my flight home I read a magazine that said she had like ten plastic surgeries in one day and she doesn't even look the same. She looks kinda creepy, like a wax version of herself, but uglier." I laughed along with Bella who continued on her rant about the pseudo celebrity. "She had her tits like freakily enlarged. I mean, I doubt her boob job is as bad as the hack job that was done to Tara Reid a few years ago. I seriously think she had it done by a guy in a van down by the river, but regardless she looks good now. I saw her in the December or January Playboy."

"You read Playboy?" I asked incredulously and my voice was raised a little too loudly for such a small restaurant. "For the articles right?"

"Hell no. Rosalie subscribes and we sit down and admire the beautiful women, some of whom we make fun of and others we discuss how drunk we would need to be to have sex with them." I choked on my coffee and Bella simply smiled genuinely at me. "And that is the response we usually get when we mention it."

**BPOV**

I was surprised how much I enjoyed my breakfast with Edward and as we left Benny's, I stepped into the rather cool August air. Not that I was complaining, since the weather had been pretty much brutal the past few weeks and it seemed like the overbearing heat would never end. I looked over at Edward, who gave me a small smile in return before looking down at my hand. He stared at it for a moment, and for a second I thought maybe I had food stuck to it or something. Edward's hand moved toward mine in an uncertain movement, as if he were afraid I wouldn't want him touching me. I mean, we'd held hands on the walk to the diner, what did he think had changed in an hour?

I had to admit, it seemed as though things were changing between us since I returned to New York after visiting my parents. I welcomed the changes though, because I wanted him to hold my hand, wrap his arms around me, and hold onto me like he did last night as we slept. As much as I was still unsure of having a relationship with him, I knew that being with him the way we had been together last night and this morning, was the way I _needed_ to be with him. I knew I was in no way freed or cured from my beliefs on love simply because I spent four days with my seemingly amiable parents. However, I also knew that last night was a step in the right direction, whatever the right direction was. I felt like Dorothy, following the yellow brick road and knowing where she wanted to go, but having no idea what she would need to face in order to get there or what the end result would be.

Yes, I just compared myself to Dorothy. Maybe another cup of coffee would have been a good idea that morning.

We walked down the street, hand in hand and talked about the most random shit, much like we had done earlier in the morning. It seemed as if Edward was trying to play twenty questions with me, asking some of the most random questions about cereal, knitting, music and even my favorite websites. Honestly, it all seemed oddly familiar.

When we reached my place, Edward said that he had some work to do at home, pictures to develop, I guessed. I told him that I didn't mind and that I'd call him, but then he stood there for a moment, like he was waiting for me to do something. He leaned in but stopped a few inches from my face, and I felt the warm breath of his exhale on my face. I furrowed my brow and frowned, confused when Edward closed his eyes and pulled away from my face. My expression softened after a moment, when I realized that he was trying to decide if it was okay to kiss me, which made me laugh because in the confines of my bedroom this morning, he had taken every opportunity he could to kiss me.

I laughed quietly, my shoulders jerking forward in small movements. Without a word, I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his soft ones. He tasted so sweet, like he always did, and I loved it. Edward smiled into the kiss before capturing my lips with more force, and snaking his tongue into my mouth in such a seductive movement. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down until I was standing flat on my feet again and he grabbed my hips with both of his hands as he bent down. I pulled away slowly, not wanting to let go, but my heart was racing too fast.

"Don't be afraid to kiss me," I stated simply as I touched Edward's cheek with my fingertips. There was a small amount of stubble on his face, due to the fact that he's stayed the night with me. It felt rough, yet surprisingly wonderful underneath the tips of my fingers. I wanted to feel it rubbing along other parts of my body.

"Good, because I really wanted to," he replied, smirking. He pressed his lips to mine once more, as if to emphasize this new understanding that we had come to.

I smiled at him before turning around and walking into the house, immediately contorting my face in mock despair as I leaned back against the door once it was closed. For the first time, I could actually feel desperation when I parted from Edward. It was almost as if there was some sort of pull, begging me to turn back around and be with him, but I didn't.

After composing myself, I strolled further into the house and up the small staircase, where I looked out the window and smiled as I saw Edward walking along the sidewalk, clearly having taken a moment before starting to walk away. When I reached the kitchen, I found both Alice and Rosalie standing by the counter, looking at me expectantly. I rolled my eyes, not knowing exactly what they wanted from me, but it wasn't that hard to guess.

"What?" I asked, figuring I would start out innocently in case my suspicions were completely wrong. I stood there as I witnessed both of them lowering their eyebrows angrily at me.

Yeah, not very likely.

"Isabella Marie, I think you have known us long enough to know that 'what' isn't going to cut it," Alice said firmly. I could hear the sternness in the way her voice seemed to go an octave lower.

"Spill it, Swan. What happened with Edward last night and please skip all the gory, sweaty details. I don't need to hear that shit… I think we all heard enough of it last night," Rosalie added. I stared at her for a moment and raised my eyebrows, trying my hardest not to blush as I recalled the fact that Edward and I had sex last night with all of our friends still in the living room. The two of us really need to work on which body parts we think with whenever we got together.

"_You_ don't want the sweaty details? _I'm_ the one who caught Emmett going down on _you_ in the back room of the goddamn porn shop!" I retorted, pointing my finger at Rosalie like a five year old accusing her friend of stealing her Barbie doll. Alice turned her head just enough to look at Rosalie, her face consumed with a look of complete surprise, as she mouthed the words 'oh my god.' I laughed at the two of them, glad that the attention had diverted from me, if only temporarily.

"Okay, okay. Bella, have you decided what you're going to do? I mean we all know that you were hurt when your online fella blew you off, and then you went to meet him… I think. Then Charlie had a heart attack and when you got home you were having sex with Edward, and the two of you are kissing, and…." Alice sucked in a deep breath and stopped with her finger up in the air, and a look of confusion spreading across her features. She had really talked herself into a circling vortex of perplexity, that one.

"Alice, did you honestly just say 'fella'?" asked Rosalie her face looking perplexed and I breathed a slight sigh of relief that I didn't have to answer their interrogation yet. Alice simply smirked and nodded her head as we all broke out into laughter. "Just because you run a vintage store doesn't mean you have to talk like you stepped out of the 1940's."

"Can we ignore your issues with my comment and start talking about Bella and her inability to make a decision about Edward and this online bohunk?"

"Bohunk? What the fuck Alice?" chided Rosalie in frustration as I simply laughed at their interaction before I hung my head in defeat, walking over towards the couch so we could all be sitting for this conversation. Honestly, I still had no idea what exactly I was going to do about PBW and Edward, but I knew that listening to my head had only gotten me hurt thus far. The only thing I was certain of was that I was going to start going with my feelings, wherever that may lead me, and however selfish it may be. I was sick of trying to be reasonable and smart, because those approaches just did not work for certain things in life.

"First of all… why the fuck are you two spying on me and Edward kissing?" I asked. They looked at each other in panic, obviously thinking that my shame would get them off the hook.

"Um… we weren't spying… we were, uh, watching for, um… birds?" Alice spluttered while Rosalie turned toward her and smacked her shoulder, berating her for the crappy lying job she had just committed.

"Okay, whatever you say, Al," I laughed. "But just for the record, I have no idea what I'm going to do… with either of them. I just know that I want to go with my gut."

"What does your gut say?" asked Alice curiously.

"Well this morning it said 'go get a breakfast burrito with Edward' and right now it's saying 'you are in some deep shit girl."

"So are you still going to meet up with the online guy if he asks you again?" Rosalie inquired. I took a deep breath and tried to decide how I was going to answer her question. Fuck, I didn't even know the answer myself.

"Yes… no… maybe? Oh, I don't know!" I stammered. "I want to, but I just… I really, _really_ like spending time with Edward. Maybe I should dig out my old Magic 8 Ball and let it decide."

"With your luck it would say 'reply hazy, try again," laughed Alice as I groaned while she laughed about my bad luck with men and relationships.

"I think you should spend time with Edward," Rosalie said abruptly, going back to our previous conversation about what I was going to do about everything.

"What?" I asked, as if what she had just said was the most complex thing in the world.

"You don't have to be the one to decide everything, Bella. You like spending time with Edward, and he obviously likes spending time with you. We can all see that," she clarified. I stared at her in awe for a moment because she was absolutely right. Why did I pressure myself to make all of these decisions regarding PBW? I mean it wasn't as if he was the goddamn Scarecrow and didn't have a brain to think with. _Wow, I am just full of freaking Wizard of Oz references today, aren't I?_

PBW could certainly tell me if he wanted to meet with me again. "Okay," I said hesitantly. Could it really be that simple? Just spend time with Edward and wait PBW out? I couldn't help but think of the potential consequences of that particular path. What if Edward found out about PBW and didn't want to see me anymore? I knew that the two of us weren't exclusive, or even technically dating, but the thought of him being hurt because of me was almost enough to make me reconsider. Almost.

There was still that really annoying feeling in the pit of my stomach that kept telling me to hang on to PBW. I didn't know how or why that could be a good thing, but I knew that I couldn't just ignore him, especially now. There was no way I could overlook the fact that we both obviously wanted to meet each other.

"But Bella, if you do meet this guy, you know that you'll have to make a decision soon, right? You can't string both these poor saps along," Alice said with a giggle while Rosalie and I joined her in laughter.

"Yeah, I know, Alice. I just hope that he doesn't end up being Edward's long lost twin brother or something," I laughed before turning on the television. That was definitely enough serious talk for me.

We ended up watching 'What Not to Wear', which was having a marathon on TLC, and Alice told me that if it wasn't for her and I didn't actually pull of half the clothes that I wore, that she would nominate me for the show. I grinned smugly and we continued to laugh at all of the ridiculous things that people thought looked good on them. Hey, I never said that I was a fashion genius, but at least I had friends who told me to turn around and change an outfit before putting me on national television. Who the hell does that?

We all headed to bed after watching several episodes and ordering in Chinese for dinner. Both Alice and Rosalie claimed that they needed 'downtime' from Emmett and Jasper, but I knew that they had stayed away from them so that they could talk me down from the ledge. I was lucky to have both of them in my life and couldn't imagine what I would do without them.

After we shut down the house, I ambled up the stairs and into my bedroom, noticing my phone was flashing from the other side of the room, so I checked it, finding I had a text from Edward.

_Hey, you. Wanna meet for coffee tomorrow? - E_

I smiled, because I had been thinking we should start going to Common Grounds together, since we ended up seeing each other there every day anyway. We might as well make an outing out of it.

_I was just thinking the exact same thing. Around 9?_ _- B_

_Sounds Perfect. - E_

I closed the phone and changed into my pajamas before I tucked myself under my covers. The annoying feeling in my gut was still there, but I knew that I would just have to wait it out, because it wasn't going away until I made a final decision.

**A/N: Now that you have read our little chapter, why don't you head on over to the 'Bring Out Your Cheesy Contest Page' which is being hosted by our friend Kikikinz, and read some of their awesome entries. www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2202317/**


	18. I Me Mine

**CPW: What is this fuckery… a Sunday update?**

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**CPW: Yes, and I'm certain our readers appreciate it as much as I did.**

**FLB11: Anyways, we are trying for weekly updates again, especially since I only have one story I am currently working on. **

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**CPW: Enough about you. We don't own Twilight, but we are both excited to watch the Daytona 500 next weekend. Anyone else with us?**

**FLB11: Without further adieu… Chapter 18.**

**BPOV**

"A little to the left."

"Like this?" I breathed as I moved my trembling hand and arm slightly, to where I hoped he wanted it. This wasn't going to work out very well if he didn't let me concentrate.

"Mmm, yes. Just like that," Edward hummed into the now tender flesh of my neck, which his mouth had been occupying for quite some time now. I could feel every masculine inch of his body as he pressed himself firmly to my backside. He moved his hands, which had been resting comfortably on my hips, upwards and around my waist.

My arms were beginning to tire in their current position and if Edward kept up the slow, seductive movements of his hands any longer, I was just going to give up. "It's not working!" I huffed as I finally conceded to the fact that this wasn't going to happen. I lowered my arms, releasing my left eye from its uncomfortable squinting position and brought Edward's camera down so that it was level with my waist and his hands. "Your camera hates me."

I turned around to face him and was surprised to find him smiling at me, happiness clearly sparking in his bright green eyes. "Are you sure you're doing it right?" he asked me, the bout of laughter he had clearly been holding back, finally bursting forth.

"Yes, your camera is just anti-woman," I retorted with a grin. Edward's mouth dropped in mock surprise.

"Don't knock the classic Nikon. This baby is an FM-10, it's practically priceless!" Edward declared passionately in defense as he took the camera from my hands and I laughed at how worked up he got over his cameras. It was actually kind of hot.

"It is! It's gender selective, it's 'Oh, let's drink a beer and watch the game and hike our shorts up,'" I said in a pseudo man voice as I grabbed the waistband of my pants and pretended to pull my shorts up my waist. Edward laughed before putting the camera to his eye and snapped a shot of the vintage bracelet that I had been trying to photograph, in about thirty seconds. I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, you're a professional."

"Uh-huh," he said in a shortened tone. I shoved his shoulder just as Alice walked back into the shop. She had been in the back, getting a dress she wanted me to try on for a gallery show that I'd been invited to display one of my paintings in. I had been ecstatic when I got the news, and it was a larger gallery, so I would need a more formal dress. Alice had called me while I was out getting coffee with Edward at Common Grounds, telling me that she had this amazing dress that would be perfect for the gallery opening, and he agreed to come check it out with me when I'd asked.

"Let's see it, Al," I said, honestly a little anxious. It was either hit or miss when Alice picked clothes for me. I walked away from Edward's side and over to her as she unzipped the garment bag. She pulled out the dress and my mouth dropped open. It was gorgeous. "Oh my god, Alice. It's amazing!" I said excitedly.

"Go and try it on," she said, handing me the dress. I took it by the hanger and walked towards the dressing room. When I looked in Edward's direction and saw that he was drumming his fingers on the counter, so I shot him an apologetic look.

"You can, um… you can go if you want to, Edward," I said before walking into the fitting room. He wasn't obligated to stand there and watch me try on a dress, especially if he had work to do or something.

"No, I'm good. Don't you want a male opinion or whatever?" he asked jokingly. I laughed at his comment and rolled my eyes before closing the fitting room door and stripping off my clothes.

I slid the dress on, and luckily it fit me perfectly, as if it were made just for my body. I felt like I was in that movie about the traveling pants or something. The dress was black and extremely form fitting. One lace strap was rather thin, while the other, in the same black lace, crossed over my breasts and covered the majority of my cleavage, but since it hugged my curves so snugly, it was still sexy. I zipped up the dress, smiled at my reflection and walked back out into the shop.

Edward's head shot up as soon as he heard me approaching, but he remained silent, not giving me any clue as to what he thought about it. Alice let out a loud squeeing sound, which I took as her approval. "So… what do we think?" I asked, because Edward was still silently staring at me, his gaze making me a bit uncomfortable, if I was being honest with myself. Although I did like his eyes on me, it was just a little weird under those particular circumstances.

Edward finally spoke, the shell that seemed to have been surrounding him cracking at last. "It's uh… nice, really nice," he stammered. I looked at him quizzically before shrugging my shoulders and looking towards Alice. Surely, she would have a few more adjectives to describe the dress rather than 'nice.'

"Bella, you look amazing, stunning, gorgeous," she screamed. I laughed a little at her enthusiasm before turning around, and heading back into the dressing room. I changed in silence, not daring to think about Edward's reaction, I didn't want to analyze it, didn't want to know what he thought of it. In fact, the more I thought about the fact that I didn't want to know what his reaction to the damn dress was, the more I began to feel as if bringing him to the shop with me was a horrible, catastrophic idea.

"GAH! Breathe, Swan. You're going to talk yourself off the deep end," I chastised myself quietly so that neither Edward nor Alice would hear me. I put my own clothes back on and brought the devil dress back to Alice.

Edward awkwardly excused himself and said that he had work to do, giving me a quick but soft kiss on the cheek before walking out of the shop. "That boy confuses the hell out of me some days," I said honestly as I watched Alice put the dress back into the garment bag and zipped it up. "One moment he's all calm, cool and collected and the next he's more awkward than a turtle."

"Well, have you guys…" Alice began, but I cut her off, my hand flying up in the air to stop her from saying anything further.

"Don't even THINK about saying 'talk' because I am so not even ready to talk to him about this. It might be selfish, and it might be stupid, but I just can't handle any of those thoughts right now. I know that I can't keep running away from him, but I'm still so confused," I said, my voice getting lower and lower, the conviction in it dissolving and slowing forming into a whisper.

"Okay, Bell. Okay," she said, her eyes full of sympathy.

"Sorry, Alice."

"Don't apologize. I understand how your recent enlightenment about your parents is probably confusing you right now," she said genuinely. I nodded my head and thankfully we dropped the subject. It was making me even more uncomfortable than when I thought about Edward staring at me in my dress.

The rest of the afternoon I spent trying on ridiculous looking outfits that Alice insisted would look good on me, but I just didn't see it most of the time. By the time I got back to the house, I was exhausted. I logged onto my computer and saw that PBW wasn't online, much to my disappointment. When I had gotten home from Forks, I had finally gotten the guts to check my email, and I found one from him. He told me that he understood completely and that he would have done the same thing if it had been his father. I was relieved that he forgave me, but we hadn't talked about meeting again as of yet, even though we did still continue to talk online when time permitted. I decided that once we had our online relationship patched up, I wasn't going to bring up meeting him again. If he wanted to meet me, he would ask, and I would wait him out. I didn't want to mention it again and risk seeming like an even bigger asshole if our plans fell through, once again.

The next morning I headed over to Common Grounds a little earlier than usual, thinking that I would grab Edward and I a table before the 9-5 crowd that we seemed to run into every morning started filing in. We had been meeting there every day for the last week, and I was beginning to enjoy the habitualness of it all. When I got there, only a couple people stood in line before me, so I ordered my usual and sat down to wait for Edward.

"Is this seat taken?" said a familiar voice; however it was not the voice that I was expecting to hear. I looked up and saw Rosalie's brother, Garrett, standing next to my seat, causing me to smile since I hadn't seen him in about a year.

"Oh my god, Garrett! How are you?" I asked as I stood up to hug him tightly. I first met him one weekend when we were freshmen at Princeton and Rosalie brought Alice and I back to Chicago. Garrett had still been in high school at the time, and after we had all visited a few times, he even asked me out. I always declined, since then he had asked me several times, because he just wasn't my type. He had blonde hair and dull gray eyes, the complete opposite of anything I had ever imagined for myself. Plus, he had always been annoyingly immature. He was definitely someone to have a good time with, though. I really enjoyed his friendship.

"I'm great, Bell. Just in town to visit Rose for a couple of weeks," Garrett said as he pulled back from the hug, but his hands lingered on my waist for longer than they should have. "And of course you and Alice." I nodded, internally smacking myself for being so enthusiastic about hugging him. I knew how he was, he'd tried to get me to go out with him the last two times he visited New York, and I should have known that this visit would be no different. He had always stayed with us in the past, and this time was the same, but I clearly had tunnel vision when I left the house this morning, eager to see Edward, and I hadn't bothered to notice that Garrett had arrived the night before. I was even sure that Rosalie had mentioned him visiting in passing recently, but I hadn't been paying attention. I was so wrapped up in my own drama these days; it was a shock I managed to walk the dogs, paint or even feed myself.

"Of course," I said with an unsure smile. Garrett finally removed his arm from around my waist, but not a minute later it was replaced with a different, warmer and more comforting touch. I felt myself lean into it almost instantly.

"Hey, baby," Edward said as he leaned forward and placed a long, sensual kiss on my cheek. What the fuck… baby? What the hell had gotten into him, he'd never called me that before. That's not what I was. A piercing panic shot throughout my body at the thought of Edward acting this way towards me. There was also another, clearly masochistic part of me that wanted to hear him to say it again.

"Uh, hey," I managed to stammer out. Edward looked toward Garrett, and his eyes were fueled with some emotion that I had never seen from him. They were slowly becoming darker, and they almost looked… menacing.

"Edward Cullen," Edward stated, sticking his hand in Garrett's general direction in an offer for him to shake it, but not in a friendly way. It resembled a challenge. As if my life couldn't get any more goddamn confusing, Edward had to go and act all weird suddenly.

Garrett took Edward's hand and I was waiting to see whose hand would explode first with the amount of force it seemed that they were putting into the handshake. "Garrett," he said as they continued to squeeze the life out of each other. I just stared at them in disbelief, but I really didn't think either of them noticed.

"Garrett is Rosalie's brother," I blurted out after a moment, in an effort to break the tension that was radiating among our group.

"So you'll be staying at the girls' apartment?" Edward inquired, his voice monotone and aloof. His brow furrowed as he waited for Garrett to answer his question. Oh. My. God. He was possessed.

"Uh, yeah," Garrett replied succinctly, the confusion clear in his voice. These two needed to be out of each other's general vicinity before the tension in the room imploded and got my coffee everywhere. Nothing good could come of my day if coffee was spilt.

"On the couch," I added. The silence that followed my statement was nothing but unbearable. My mind raced with thoughts of something to say, anything to take away the coffee-spilling tension that the three of us had created.

"I'm, uh… gonna go, Bell. I'll see you later," Garrett said before taking a step toward me. He stopped after a moment and thought twice about it, and I breathed an audible sigh of relief when he turned right around and out the door.

I turned towards Edward and gave him a look that said 'don't even bother, just go get your coffee and we shall never speak about this again.' He did what I wanted, and I sat down and practically inhaled as much coffee as I could without scalding my throat. When Edward came back, his eyes were lighter and I could tell that all the emotions from a few minutes before had disappeared, but he didn't look very happy.

"I have to go out of town for a week," he said once he sat down across from me. My heart sunk at his words. A week? I hadn't gone that long without seeing him in the two months that I'd known him. So much could happen in that amount of time. So much _had_ happened in that amount of time.

"Oh?" was all I managed to say.

"Yeah, my buddy from college is getting married out in California, and he asked me to be the photographer," he told me. I was a little doubtful that he needed a whole week just for a wedding, but I wasn't about to question him on it. He didn't technically owe me an explanation.

"That's nice," I said somberly.

"You wanna come over tonight before I go?" he asked quietly, even sounding a bit nervous. "My flight leaves tomorrow afternoon, so I would love to spend some more time with you."

"Yes," I blurted out without an ounce of hesitance. As always with Edward, the _what_ was a certainty, it was the _why_ that I constantly had trouble with.

**EPOV**

That dress was going to be the death of me. I had been a little bit reluctant to go to Alice's shop with Bella, mainly because I preferred when we spent time alone, and without clothing, but I went because I could tell from the look in Bella's eyes that she wanted me to go.

When she walked out of the dressing room, my heart literally fell to my feet and my dick reacted immediately. She was fucking gorgeous. It was a tight black dress with lace accents that looked like she was poured into it. It was classic, yet sexy as all hell. I hated the fact that I reacted badly, unable to form a coherent thought or any compliment other than 'nice.' If Alice hadn't been in the shop, I would have mauled Bella immediately, ripped the dress from her and took her on the damned counter. Instead, I made a lame excuse and left the shop, running home and taking matters into my own hands the moment I walked in the door, if you get my drift.

Once I was sufficiently calmed down, I sat down at my computer and pulled up my email, smacking my hand against my head the moment I saw one from my old friend, Riley. He had gone to college with me, Jasper and Emmett, but once we graduated he headed back home to California where he had a rather plush job waiting for him with his father's company. It didn't take him long before he fell in love with his assistant, Bree, causing some turmoil in the company, but making Riley happier than I had ever seen him. They had come out to visit for New Years the year before, and I to admit that Bree had made him a new man. I couldn't help but wonder if Bella would do the same for me.

I shook the thought from my head and stared at my e-ticket and itinerary on my screen. Riley was getting married this upcoming weekend and after some begging and pleading, once their original photographer backed out, I agreed to go. Jasper and Em were both invited, but Em had booked a soap opera for a few weeks and Jasper couldn't leave the shop, or Alice for that matter, long enough to attend.

So, for the rest of the night I spent time doing laundry, cleaning up, packing and contemplating everything going on between Bella and me. I was conflicted on how to tell her that she was my Penny, and I still had my doubts sometimes that she was. All the signs pointed to her being the one, but even our game of twenty questions the day after she came home from Washington left me reconsidering. I didn't feel like just blurting it out to her and seeing what she said. I would come off like a crazy man who was two timing his possible girlfriend, Bella, with his online friend, Penny. Fuck, this was confusing.

Making everything worse was the fact that I was finally finding a comfortable groove with Bella and now I had to leave town for a week. I was certain she would understand my need to go to California for the wedding, but the fact that I had been so self involved in the past few weeks and had forgotten to tell her may come across as suspicious. I was going to have to tread lightly and play my cards right if I didn't want this to blow up in my face.

However, the next morning as I walked into Common Grounds and found some other guy with his hands all over Bella, I almost lost it. I turned into a possessive and jealous jerk, sidling up to her and wrapping my arm around her waist, kissing her firmly on the cheek and basically staking my claim. I didn't know this guy from Adam, but I knew he looked at her the same way I did when I saw her. He was shamelessly eye fucking her and things began to worsen from there when Bella blurted out that he was Rosalie's brother and was sleeping on their couch for the next little while.

I was officially jealous and a bit anxious, because while I was away, this guy would be spending time with my girl. That's right… she's my girl, and I didn't really give a shit if it wasn't technically true. I even considered taking Garrett to the side and verbally warning him to keep his distance, but he left before I got the chance. This morning was not going anything like I had planned. So, in my agitated state, I blurted out to Bella that I was going out of town for a week for Riley's wedding and then I asked her to come over later.

In my mind I was thinking it would be great to have one last night with her before I had to go, but I was also thinking of ways to keep her away from Garrett. I even considered calling Emmett and requesting that he and Jasper try to keep Garrett and Bella apart while I was gone, but I wasn't that big of a jerk. Bella was quick to agree to dinner, and we spent the rest of our morning coffee date chatting amiably about my friends who were getting married and she told me more about her gallery showing that was happening after I got back into town, the next week. When we parted ways around mid morning, I was feeling a bit better about being away from her, but I still wasn't looking forward to it.

I made my way over to Whole Foods when I left Bella, eager to find something perfect to make her for dinner, but unsure of what to do. I spent way too long going through the store, and when I finally got back to my apartment, I discovered I only had a few minutes left until I had to log into a twelve o'clock meeting with my boss at the greeting card company. Things in regards to that aspect of my life were going well, although rather mind-numbingly boring. Regardless of the changes within the company, I still wasn't being challenged, but it was a steady paycheck when my photography business was running slow. I had been trying to think of ways to expand my photography and get out greeting cards altogether, but since I had been too focused on Bella / Penny lately, those thoughts had fallen by the wayside.

Once I had finished my meeting and responded to a few dozen work related emails, I took a long hot shower and then finished packing for California. I was getting nervous about cooking for Bella, but once I had everything set out in the kitchen to prepare the Thai Chicken Pasta recipe I had gotten at Whole Foods, I had something else to occupy my time. In fact, I was so involved in making dinner; I didn't notice the time and was shocked when there was a knock on my door just before seven.

"Hey, you," Bella said as she walked in, looking simple yet gorgeous, with a white skirt, black tank top and the brightest red shoes I had ever seen. Bella also had a small red flower clip holding up one side of her hair and the rest cascaded down her back, making me wish I was tangling my fingers in it and pulling her to me as I kissed her fervently. "Did you know you have a really nosy neighbor?" she questioned as I shook my mind from the rather delicious thoughts and came back to our conversation.

"You met Mrs. Petrone did you?" I asked with chuckle before I got nervous about what they could have possibly discussed.

"Is that her name? She didn't give me a chance to get a word in edgewise, actually. She kept going on about how you were such a good boy, helped her with groceries and even changed her light bulb once when she couldn't find anyone from maintenance to help," said Bella casually as I shook my head, trying to shake off the good deeds I had done for her. I mean, she was like 102 years old; anyone would have done the same. "She also mentioned getting you a Slap Chop for Christmas." We both broke out into laughter as I closed the door behind Bella and she stepped into the kitchen, her smile growing as she smelled our dinner.

"I'm more than just a pretty face, you know," I said sarcastically as I followed her over to the counter, where she was looking into the bowl where I was mixing our salad. I was anxious, but I shook the nerves from my brain and wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her back against me. Bella lolled her head back and rested it against my shoulder as I took the chance to smell her hair and simply breathe in her essence. I was going to miss this for a week.

"Are you sure you need to go to California? Can't you just order them some of those table top disposable Kodak's instead? Those are all the rage back in Washington," she said with a laugh as I kissed her temple and took comfort in the fact that she was going to miss me as much as I would miss her.

"Is there any way I can convince you to come with me?" I asked, noticing the double-entre in my words.

"Maybe later we can discuss that, but don't you usually let me come first?" she joked as I squeezed her tighter, glad she could laugh about my small faux pas. "But I can't exactly up and go to California right now, Edward. As fun as it sounds, I would probably just distract you from the wedding anyway, and I need to finish getting my stuff ready for my showing. You will be back in time right?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world," I admitted honestly as Bella plucked a cherry tomato from the salad and tossed it with ease into her mouth. "I do like your type of distractions though," I finished as I held her hips firmly in my hands and ground myself against her backside, my arousal evident, and I wondered if I had moved too far too soon.

"Like I said… we'll discuss that later," laughed Bella as she pointed to the stove where our dinner was simmering. "Now, are you going to feed me or do I need to call Mrs. Petrone up here and tell her that you simply aren't the gentleman she thinks you are?"

"You spent sixty seconds with the woman… would you want her to join us for dinner?"

"Not at all."

"Good, now go sit down," I chided her as I waved my hand towards my small dining table, where I hadn't exactly gone above and beyond, but I had laid down some linen napkins my mother had given me ages ago, some wine glasses and our cutlery.

"If I didn't mention it before, Edward, it smells really good."

"It could smell good, but taste like burnt tire, so don't get too excited," I replied sarcastically as Bella laughed and reached for the bottle of white wine I offered her. She poured us each a glass, filling them practically to the brim and I stifled a laugh, knowing this would be an interesting night.

Thankfully, dinner was not as horrible as I had joked about, and it was actually pretty good. Unfortunately the noises of appreciation falling from Bella's mouth as she ate only made the situation in my groin even worse. If I thought I was hard when I was pressed up against her in the kitchen, I had been seriously mistaken. Half way through dinner, Bella finished her first glass of wine and moved onto her second, chatting happily about the one time she went to California when she was younger and visited Sea World in San Diego with her parents.

When dinner was done, I cleaned up things in the kitchen and told Bella to simply relax and enjoy herself. She poured her third glass of wine while I was loading the dishwasher and was surprised when I discovered her in the living room, holding my camera reverently in her hands. "Taking a picture of something?" I questioned as I moved towards her, grabbing my glass of wine which was only half filled. I had very little in comparison to Bella, but she seemed more than happy about everything as she giggled and pretended to toss my camera towards me, making my heart jump.

"Gotcha," she said with a sly grin as I narrowed my eyes at her. "What would you say if I asked you to take a picture of me?" My mouth literally fell open in surprise at her question and I watched intently as she pulled the red flower clip from her hair and let it fall down around her shoulders, shaking it out sensually. My cock twitched with excitement.

"Hand me my camera gently and I will gladly take your picture," I replied as I swallowed thickly and Bella extended her arm out, my camera dangling on the end of her fingers. I reached out tentatively and grabbed it from her, clutching it tightly in my hand like it was my first born child. It was rare that anyone else touched my camera, ever. However, with Bella I didn't feel the concern I did with everyone else. Before I took a picture of her alone though, I leaned in and snapped a shot of me kissing her cheek. Once I let go of her, I was even more surprised when Bella lay down on my couch and rested her arm over her head sensually.

"Okay. Take the picture."

"You want me to… take a picture of you like this?" I questioned anxiously as Bella nodded her head slowly and fanned her hair against the throw pillow behind her head. I shook my head of the reluctance and lifted my camera up, taking several quick shots of her, but knowing that the lighting was off. I moved around her slowly and turned off the main light in the room, selecting a few small lamps in the room instead and when I moved back to take another photo, Bella's knee was bent up providing me with a view of her inner thigh and she had her finger in her mouth, sucking on it softly. I was officially dead. She had killed me.

I quirked my eyebrow at her, but she simply nodded her head, giving me permission to continue. I lifted my camera back to my face and took several more quick photos, moving around and zooming in on my favorite parts of her like her sweet tender lips, her creamy white shoulder and the curve of her neck. When I zoomed out the next time and took a step back, Bella's hand had moved from her mouth to between her legs… and it was moving.

Without thinking, I took several more photos, this time of her facial expressions as she pleasured herself. When she let out a small groan of arousal, I was done for. I placed my camera on coffee table and then pushed it aside before I dropped to my knees in front of her. Bella lifted her hand and was about to slide it inside her panties, but I grabbed it and stilled her movements.

"Don't even think about it," I said with a sly grin as Bella bit down on her lower lip and I reached up and yanked her panties down her legs, her shoes staying in place. I feverishly began unzipping her skirt because it looked like it would just be a hassle and Bella tugged her tank top off, revealing that she hadn't been wearing a bra and leaving her naked on my couch. She was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

Bella's fingers seamlessly threaded through my hair as I leaned forward, breathing in her arousal, which made my cock throb. I adjusted myself covertly before I stuck my tongue out and slowly began lapping at her pussy as I spread her open, my fingers coated in her wetness. I looked up through my darkened eyes and watched Bella's face as it contorted in pleasure. "Oh, oh, oh… fuck yes," she purred as her fingers gripped on to the edge of my couch cushions and I then grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer to the edge. I dipped my tongue inside her pussy, her tightness clenching around me, before I pulled out and began lapping again, this time with more pressure and speed.

"Just like that… don't stop… please," she begged as I rested my finger against her clit, pressing slightly before I started flicking it rapidly and I could hear her breathing picking up. "Oh fuck… your fingers, Edward… ungh… add your fingers," she pleaded. I immediately shoved two fingers inside her, watching smugly as her back arched off the couch and her gorgeous breasts jutted out, calling out for me to suck on them.

At her insistence, I continued to move my fingers in and out of her wetness, and when I latched my mouth around her clit and begin nibbling it between my teeth; I knew she was done for. She began screaming out my name in ecstasy as her legs shook around me and she panted breathlessly. I leaned back on my knees and looked up at Bella, feeling rather confident in my abilities to get her off. When she finally opened her eyes, they narrowed in on me and she licked her lips teasingly as she motioned with her fingers for me to stand up.

"Yes Ma'am," I said with a chuckle and a mock salute as I got to my feet and began unbuttoning my pale blue button down shirt. Bella moved into a sitting position, her ass right on the edge of the couch as she reached up and grabbed the waistband of my jeans, eagerly unbuttoning them and tugging them off my body until they were pooled at my feet. I moved slowly to get my feet untangled from the denim, but Bella wasted no time in wrapping her hand around my throbbing cock, stroking it slowly from base to tip as I growled at her touch.

As I tossed my shirt over onto the coffee table behind us, Bella snaked her tongue out and licked the tip of my cock, tasting all the pre-cum that had gathered there as though it was the most delicious dessert she had ever had. I let out a low grunt as Bella's fingers grasped my ass and she pulled me closer to her, my cock sliding effortlessly into her mouth. Her movements were fast, furious and primal, but I honestly couldn't say I had ever had a better fucking blow job in my entire life. Her mouth was so fucking hot. She sucked on my length for all she was worth, her ability to take me deep into her throat surprising the hell out of me, and making my cock twitch excitedly.

"Oh sweet jesus, Bella," I cursed out as my fingers found purchase in her luscious hair and she hummed around my cock, making it almost unbearable. Unfortunately for me, as much as I desperately wanted to cum in her sweet little mouth, I wanted my cock buried inside of her more. So on her next pass, I took a step back and Bella looked at me with disappointment clear in her eyes. However, when I looked down she had one hand between her legs and she was fingering her pussy again. It was the sexiest fucking thing I had ever seen, her fingers sliding in and out of her tight slickness. "Get onto your hands and knees, baby. Put your hands on the back of the couch."

Bella smiled from ear to ear as she pulled her fingers up to her mouth and licked them clean before following my request, my cock feeling a magnetic pull towards her like nothing I had ever felt before. I bent over and fumbled with my pants, pulling the condom from my pocket that I had placed there earlier. I ripped it open and sheathed myself excitedly before moving back towards Bella, my cock sliding between her wet pussy lips as my hand rested on her lower back, moving slowly down to her ass where I smacked it tentatively as she purred in front of me, her knuckles turning white from the pressure with which she was holding onto the couch. Bella pressed her ass back and I smacked her other ass cheek before rubbing it gently and then sliding my hand up along the spine of her back. My hands continued their journey along her back, up to her neck and I wrapped my hand around her long chocolate hair. I pulled her hair back slowly as I leaned into her, my chest resting against her back as my cock filled her tight pussy and she panted desperately.

"I don't want you to think about anyone, or anything else but me fucking you while I am gone," I forced out between clenched teeth as my cock ached as I pushed myself further into her heaven. I released my grasp on Bella's hair as she nodded her head in response, her bottom lip so tight in between her teeth that I seriously contemplated the long term effects for a moment. I then shook the thought from my head and watched Bella's face as she turned around, her eyes burning into mine as I grasped her hips with both hands and fucked her as hard as I could, our bodies slapping together noisily.

"More… harder… oh god," Bella moaned out loudly as she rested her head against the couch for a moment and I kept up with the motions, my cock plunging hard and fast inside her tight depths.

"Touch yourself," I urged as I watched one of her hands slip between her body and she began cursing, almost nonsensically the moment her finger touched her clit. I slid one hand around her hip and rested it on top of hers, my other hand still firmly planted on her waist as I fucked her feverishly. I could feel her body shaking around me, her own release imminent as I picked up my movements, eager to cum with her.

Both of Bella's hands reached up and grabbed the back of the couch as her orgasm began to overwhelm her and I thrust my cock inside of her two more times, spilling into her as her back arched and my hands grasped onto her breasts, pulling her back against my chest as I remained buried inside of her.

We both remained still, either unable or unwilling to move, as our breathing calmed down slightly and I began kissing her neck tenderly. "You'll stay?" I whispered quietly into her ear as I felt her nod her head slowly before we finally moved, separating ourselves reluctantly. I began walking through the apartment and turning off all the lights, tossing the condom in the trash in the kitchen, before I grabbed Bella's hand and led her up the stairs into my bedroom.

Bella stood beside my bed, looking a bit shy as I turned down the sheets and patted the bed for her to crawl in, watching as she got in on her knees, her tempting ass raised in the air as my cock throbbed again in anticipation of being inside of her again. I turned off the light and climbed into bed beside her, pulling her bare body into my side as we spooned as though we were meant to be like that always.

Sleep claimed us quickly and when I woke the next morning, I didn't want to move, but the clock on my nightstand said it was already eight and I had a flight to catch in a few hours. I waited, watching Bella sleep before finally sliding out and heading into the bathroom for a quick shower. When I was done, I noticed Bella wasn't in my bed, but I could smell bacon throughout the apartment and I began salivating. She had stayed and cooked for me. That was even more appealing than the bacon, I thought to myself as I towel dried my messy hair quickly and pulled on a pair of boxers before heading down to the main floor.

I found Bella in my blue button down shirt, scrambling eggs at my island, humming happily to herself 'The Great Escape' by Gwen Stefani. I watched her from the bottom step, noticing how comfortable she seemed in my kitchen, wishing it would be like that always. However, I had some things to attend to before that could become a permanent reality, like this stupid wedding and the pesky thing about how I thought she was PennyLane.

"Smells delicious," I said genuinely as I walked into the kitchen and Bella jumped slightly, startled by my arrival.

"Well dammit. I was hoping to get this all done and climb back into bed before you got out of the shower, so I could feed you breakfast in bed," she said with a grin as I leaned forward and kissed her before sneaking a piece of bacon.

"As awesome as that sounds, I need to be out of here in about an hour to make my flight, baby," I said as I noticed her face fall slightly. She clearly wasn't pleased that I had reminded her about the fact that I had to leave. "If I get into that bed with you, I won't want to leave."

"Then don't leave."

"I have to, Bella. I'm really sorry," I said as I kissed her temple and she pulled away slightly before turning around to pour the egg mixture into the heated fry pan. I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist and did my best to try to reassure her before I had to leave. I certainly didn't want to go to California and have things be awkward for us, because of this, while I was gone and then again when I came back. I thought we had come too far lately to go back again. I didn't want to go back. "Listen, you can call me anytime you want while I am gone. Hell, email me, text me, send carrier pigeons if you feel the need to contact me."

"Can I send Hedwig?"

"What the fuck is a Hedwig?"

"He's Harry Potter's owl. He delivers messages for Harry."

"Isn't Harry like magic or some shit? Can't he just conjure up a message to appear somewhere? That poor fucking owl must be tired as all hell." Bella chuckled slightly at my lack of Harry Potter knowledge.

"I am going to miss you though, Edward. You're… you're my best friend," she said as I was a little taken aback, because even though we'd only known each other for a couple months, I felt the exact same way.

"You're my best friend, too, Bella," I mumbled as I kissed her neck. We were silent after that and I watched as she continued to make us scrambled eggs, which she then tossed cheese and green onions into. Bella then instructed me to make us some toast, which I did eagerly, enjoying working alongside her.

We ate our breakfast fairly silently, Bella asking random questions about Riley, California and my flight, but I could tell she was distracted. I offered to walk her home, but she declined, insisting that she knew I needed to get ready for my flight and head on over to JFK. We shared a rather chaste, but simple kiss at my door, my heart and body both wanting more, and when she left, I literally felt empty.

I cleaned up from our breakfast, answered a few emails and smiled knowingly when I saw that Penny wasn't online. I fielded a call from Jasper who made me promise to get Riley a wedding gift from all three of us and he offered a hundred and fifty bucks from both him and Emmett, provided I picked it up that morning. I agreed to call him when Riley picked me up at the airport in Los Angeles and by the time I hung up the call, I was close to being late. I grabbed my luggage, laptop and camera bags before practically running out into the hallway, locking my door tight behind me.

When I stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby, Mrs. Petrone looked at me knowingly and I smiled and gave her a curt wave as I walked out into the bright sunshine and hailed the first cab I could find. I directed my driver over to Jasper's bookstore first and I picked up the cash he wanted to give me for Riley's gift, deciding perhaps it would be best to just give him some money instead of trying to find a gift for him and Bree.

As we turned onto Waverly, heading east, I couldn't help but notice the brunette struggling with several dogs inside of Washington Square Park, each of them pulling her in a different direction, except the pug who was sitting down, watching the entire thing go down. We stopped at a red light and the brunette walked closer, confirming my entail suspicions. Bella was wearing her Woodsy the Owl shirt, and a pair of multi colored shorts, her hair pulled back into loose ponytail. She looked tired and sad, but I simply pumped my fist excitedly as I finally knew, with certainty, that Bella Swan was my PennyLane84.


	19. And I Love Her

**Flightlessbird11: We thought we would be nice and post this chapter of MIFFY today for Valentine's Day**

**coldplaywhore: And we would have posted sooner if my partner in crime here hadn't left her laptop at school for the weekend and didn't spend more time Googling her new panties than reviewing our chapter**

**Flightlessbird11: fuck you. You wish you had panties this nice.**

**coldplaywhore: I'm a whore. I have much nicer panties.**

**Flightlessbird11: Anyways, let's get to the chapter shall we?**

**coldplaywhore: we don't own Twilight; however we do apparently own some nice panties.**

**BPOV**

The moment I left Edward's apartment the day he left for the wedding, I knew things were going to be different between us when he got back. However, I didn't know if it would be a good different or a bad different. We'd gotten so much closer in the past week, and it all came toppling on top of both of us the night before he left, and it seemed as though we had grown ten times closer that night. I wanted so badly to keep that closeness between us, to not over think things anymore and to just _be_. The last thing I wanted was for everything to be awkward and strained between us when he returned from California. That was my worst fear.

Apparently, Edward's friends out in Los Angeles had a shitload of money, and they were doing a 'wedding week' of sorts, and he also mentioned that he wanted to catch up with his friend, Riley, and that was why he would be gone so long. I felt relieved that he had offered me this information the night before he left without me having to ask, because I wanted so badly to be able to trust him. He was my best friend, after all.

God, I couldn't believe I'd admitted that to him. I couldn't even fucking believe that I felt that way. I mean, I'd known the man for a total of two and a half months, and I already felt closer and more at ease with him than I felt with Alice and Rosalie; Alice who I'd known my whole life and Rose I'd known since college. Things with Edward were just different, though. We had a connection that I was just beginning to understand and appreciate the depth of. I knew I was afraid to explore it too quickly, but I was getting there, slowly, but surely.

Edward and I had several conversations throughout the week, and each time I heard his voice, I missed him a little more. I had a feeling after the week was over, that our relationship would be taking a turn for the better and I was excited to see him when he got back, which unfortunately wasn't until the night of my gallery opening. I was somewhere between thrilled that he would be there, nervous that he was going to see my artwork, and worried that he wouldn't make it for some unknown reason. I knew he'd obviously seen my work at the first gallery showing I had, but this was different. Everything between us seemed to be different.

Not to mention the fact that I was biting my already short fingernails off with the anxiety I was suffering from over this opening. It was a bigger gallery than any other my work had been displayed in, and that fact alone made me nervous. What if no one bought my work? What if I overheard people criticizing it? What if the painting broke on the way to the gallery? Hell, what if it cracked right on display and shattered into a million pieces in front of everyone there?

I was a mess. Obviously.

The conversations I'd had with Edward always calmed me down, though. He always knew exactly what to say to make me feel better. Alice and Rose always told me similar things and gave me the same advice, but when I heard the same words of encouragement and support come from Edward, I perceived it differently, as if his opinion was the only one that mattered. He made me see what everyone else was trying to tell me. Saturday night was interesting to say the least because Alice and Rosalie insisted on taking me out, since I had been such a miserable bitch throughout the week. Of course they said this in the nicest way possible and tried to make it seem as though they were doing me a favor, when I knew what they were really saying was 'please come out with us while we drink away the stress you caused us this week.' I was about to protest when I realized that they were right, I had been pretty insufferable all week, so I placated them and let them take me out. Plus, it was also a rare occasion when us girls went out without our male counterparts.

I stepped into my bright, jeweled rainbow heels and was immediately reminded of my last art showing, the first Edward had been to. I remembered him admiring them and smiled to myself before I walked over to my computer, signing into my PennyLane account. PBW was nowhere to be found, something that did not leave a sinking feeling in my chest like it once did. Don't get me wrong, I definitely missed talking to him, but now that I was getting so much closer with Edward, it was almost as if PBW had never existed. I felt a small pang of remorse at this thought because the way I felt about PBW had been great and exhilarating, but nothing like how I felt about Edward now. I was willing to try with Edward, which I had never been able to even contemplate before now.

Garrett walked into the room, not even bothering to knock, which pissed me off. He had been relatively tame over the week, being mostly friendly towards me, and not much more. I was grateful he hadn't asked me out. Yet.

I turned around to face him. "Um… hey?" I said, phrasing it like a question, so I could give him the impression that I didn't want him there. Being alone with him in my bedroom made me a little uneasy, not because I was afraid he would do something to me, but because I felt most vulnerable in my personal space. Like I was exposed, and it made me nervous to have someone who I didn't particularly want in my room, occupying the space without my permission. He looked down at my shoes and smirked.

"Nice shoes, wanna fuck?" he said, his voice and face both illustrating that he was dead serious. My temper flared at his comment because he'd been here for an entire week already and hadn't said anything even remotely inappropriate to me. I tried to keep my cool as I spoke to him.

"No, but I wouldn't mind kicking these things up your ass," I said calmly as I waved the front of my left foot to him, showcasing my high heeled shoes.

Yeah, I don't think it deterred him at all.

"Oh come on, Bell. You and me? I know you've just been playing hard to get all these years, especially with that douche, what's his name, Edwin? You looked like you were about to have a coronary when he kissed you last week at that shitty excuse for a coffee shop. Don't even try and pretend that there is something going on there," he said coolly.

The moment he finished speaking, I lost it. I stood up so I could see his face as I started my rant, the anger rolling off of me in waves.

"Okay, one, no there is no 'you and me,' and there never will be. _Ever._ Two, his name is Edward. EDWARD. Three, what goes on between him and I is none of your business. NONE. Four, that is the best damn coffee shop in all of Manhattan, but you wouldn't know that since your taste buds are probably all skewed from your head being so far up your ass."

He stepped forward and reached his hand out, sliding it around my waist and pulling me to him. "You're so hot when you're angry," he said defiantly and his lips were on mine before I even had time to react. I pushed him backward as hard as I could and he moved without issue because honestly, Garrett was a wimp, and straightened the strap on my tank top as I stared him down.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" I said forcefully. I was completely stunned by his behavior. He'd always been such a nice person, and sure he was a persistent little fucker, trying to get me to go out with him for all these years, but I never imagined he would ever force himself on me. He was so different from Rosalie, who even though could be aggressive when she wanted to be, she was never one to be so persistent in the face of rejection. "I'm not going to say anything about this to Rosalie because she is my best friend, and you're her brother. However, don't ever touch me again, because if you do, I will not only tell Rose, I will call the police. Now get the fuck out of my bedroom, you asshole."

Garrett opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but I just glared at him, because I wasn't above punching him in the nads if he came near me again. Obviously, he saw this in my eyes, which were boiling over with fury, and he turned around and left my room. That was the smartest thing he had ever done in his entire life.

Now I really needed to get drunk.

I adjusted my top, pulling the thin black strap back into place and smoothing out the polka dotted surface. I put on my anchor necklace and dangly earrings that said 'hello sailor, because' I needed some humor in my night after the fuckery that was my early evening. I finished putting my makeup on and headed down into the living room to wait for Alice and Rosalie, because even after almost getting assaulted by Garrett, I was still ready before them. I rolled my eyes at this fact and pulled a beer out of the fridge to calm my nerves a bit.

After the girls were ready, the three of us went out to the bar, where I actually found myself dancing more than drinking. It was exactly what I needed to forget about Edward being gone, even for just a few hours. However, after my few hours on the dance floor and after several guys grabbed my ass, I found myself wishing Edward was there with me. I craved his overbearing, obnoxious jealous caveman act from last week in the coffee shop. I wanted him to be there and be like that with me, no matter how goddamn annoying it was. I eventually gave up on enjoying myself after that and left Alice and Rose on the floor while I got a beer from the bar when some poor drunk slob came up to me.

"What the fuck are those on your feet?" he slurred, looking down at my rainbow heels that were glimmering under the lights of the bar. This was about the fifth time I had envisioned these poor shoes being shoved up the ass of some ignorant bastard in one night, and I was getting sick of it.

"They're called shoes, you asshole. If you want a better look, I'd be happy to give you a close up," I said as I stood from my stool and stepped on his foot, not hard enough to actually break anything, but enough to get him away from me.

"You bitch!" he shouted as he grabbed his foot and his face contorted in pain and he hobbled away from the bar. I smirked in his general direction and sat back down, taking a long sip from my beer bottle.

Alice and Rosalie came over to the bar once the music on the dance floor changed shortly after that and ordered drinks for themselves. I kept mostly to myself, because after the incident with the shoes, I couldn't stop my mind from thinking about Edward, the way he smelled, tasted, the way he always loved the way I dressed, no matter how crazy it looked.

"I miss Edward. He likes my shoes," I blurted out without thinking, the alcohol clearly affecting me. My eyes snapped up to Alice and Rose and they were looking at me expectantly. I didn't have an explanation for myself, let alone the two of them, so I continued with the word vomit. "Why do I miss Edward?"

The most sympathetic looks I'd ever seen crossed over their faces at the utterance of my question. "I think it's time for us to go home," Alice said as Rosalie nodded, neither of them saying much because they were both understanding and a little sick of my confusion. Fuck, I was sick of my own confusion.

By the time we were getting ready to leave, the bar was almost ready to close and the dance floor was clearing out. The DJ was playing slower songs and as we walked out the door, John Mayer's 'Friends, Lovers or Nothing' played throughout the bar. The slow, steady, soothing beat of the song – not to mention the words – made me think of Edward, and our relationship. I missed him, and I was going to make sure he knew it when he got back.

When we got home, I went straight up to my room and noticed that my computer was still on, and I shrugged, thinking that it just spazzed out or something. I closed it and changed into pajamas, climbing into bed. The clock on my nightstand read 2:34 and I smiled to myself, because that meant it was Sunday. I would see Edward tomorrow.

_Think we'll never fall into_

_The jealous game_

_The streets will flood_

_With blood of those who felt the same_

_Friends, lovers, or nothing_

_There can only be one_

_Friends, lovers, or nothing_

_There'll never be an in-between_

_So give it up_

_Anything other than 'yes' is 'no'_

_Anything other than 'stay' is 'go'_

_Anything less than 'I love you' is lying_

**EPOV**

California was an experience to say the least, but I must admit I was eager to get back to New York City since the moment I saw Bella walking that group of dogs at Washington Square Park. I was even tempted to call Riley and pretend to be sick, but I knew I couldn't do that to a friend, because he would surely do the same for me if he was in my place. So, I boarded my flight and plugged in my iPod, drifting off to sleep, and dreaming of the most erotic thoughts where Bella knew I was her Paperback_Writer and didn't care. If only life could be so easy.

When I arrived at LAX, Riley greeted me, along with one of his close friends, Dave. We ended up going back to Riley's place in Marina Del Ray, which basically just showed me that he made way too much money and was living the good life here in Southern California. It was a nice change of pace compared to Manhattan, which was so frantic most of the time. Unless I was with Bella, of course, because then time seemed to stand still and all I could focus on or think about was her.

Once my stuff was unloaded, Dave drove us to an Irish Pub called O'Brien's in Santa Monica, where we were meeting some of the other guys who were in his wedding party, plus a few other friends. This group included Bree's older brother, Marcus, and his life partner, Felix. The guys were actually a wonderful group, clearly very comfortable with each other and very easy to get along with. Before I knew it, I was three sheets to the wind having downed at least six beers in the three hours we had been there, and I was pouring my heart out to all of them.

"I have no idea how this happened," I slurred as Riley looked at me curiously, but let me continue to ramble on. "You fund… found…have the perfect girl for you in Bree, and I went and found my girl… in real life and on my damned computer only to discover they are the same person. How fucked up is that?"

"Okay… let me get this straight," Riley said as he stifled a laugh and grabbed a potato skin from the plate in front of him. "You met a girl online?"

"Yup… her name is Penny Lane," I said as I practically swooned, my eyes going a bit glassy as all the guys broke out into laughter. "Shut your pie holes."

"So you met Penny online, but you met Bella in real life, and it turns out that they are in fact the same damned person?" I nodded forlornly as my brain swirled with thoughts of Bella from the night before.

"I miss Bella."

"Man, you have it bad," laughed Marcus as his fingers stroked aimlessly at the back of Felix's hair, and I could tell by the expression in their faces that they were in love. I was envious… or was I?

"I think I love her."

"Have you told her that she is one in the same? Your Bella and your Penny?" questioned Riley, clearly trying to be the voice of reason.

"Not in so many words," I stammered as I grabbed my beer and took a huge swig of it. "I may have told her I love fucking her… but I don't think I said I was actually in love with her. You know, with the feelings and the heart and the motherfucking declarations of wanting to be with her forever. I haven't said that yet. At least I don't think I have."

"Riley, take his cell phone away. The last thing this sweet girl needs is the drunken proclamations of love from this moron," laughed Felix as I narrowed my eyes at him and he just winked at me in response. "You, my friend are not only drunk as hell, but take it from a guy who has been there for like 10 years, you are in love."

"Awww," said Marcus sweetly as Felix started laughing at his lover.

"I never said I was in love with you, honey," he giggled as Marcus pretended to be upset, even raising his hand to cover his mouth in an effort to be dramatic. "I could never be in love with a guy who wore Crocs."

"Fuck off, Felix," snapped Marcus as several of us looked under the table and sure enough, Marcus was wearing a pair of bright pink Crocs. It was quite the sight to see, considering he was also wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a crisp, button down shirt. "Do I need to tell the boys about the collection of tank tops you have in our closet and only wear when you want to play 'straight male weightlifter'?" I choked on my drink before taking another pull of it, watching as the boys bantered back and forth like an old married couple. Bella and I bantered like this. Did this mean we were like Marcus and Felix; so comfortable in our relationship we didn't worry about hurting the other's feelings?

It wasn't true in my case, because I constantly worried about hurting her feelings. I was petrified that I would tell Bella that she was Penny, and she would turn on me for not being honest with her sooner, thus ruining everything. This was a precarious situation I had backed myself into. Maybe I could just say something to Bella on the computer that would make her think I was her PBW, and she would get all excited for realizing this on her own that she wouldn't care that I already knew? Wishful thinking, I know.

"Earth to Edward," said Felix as he snapped his fingers in front of me and I looked up from Marcus' odd choice of footwear and tried to focus on the situation at hand. "I said… are you going to tell Bella that she is Penny?"

"I'm not sure what the hell I should do if I am being completely honest with you."

"Just like a straight man to not have an idea how to woo the object of his affection," he added as I rolled my eyes. However, I sat there and listened as he and Marcus proceeded to give me suggestion after suggestion of ways to tell Bella how I felt and who she was to me. Unfortunately these boys had caviar dreams and I lived on a ramen noodle budget, so most of their ideas were pointless, until Riley gave me an excellent suggestion. He suggested I talk to her best friends and get their opinion on the situation. No one knew Bella better than Alice and Rosalie, so surely they would be able to give some great ideas. Of course, I wasn't sure whether they would be willing to help me or not.

Our night ended shortly after, and the next few days I spent simply hanging out with Riley while he prepared for the wedding. He had his final tuxedo fitting, had to meet with the DJ and drop off final checks for the caterer, florist, harpist and several others. We spent a bit of time actually enjoying Los Angeles, which included a visit to the Getty Center to see an exhibition on the photographs of British photographer Fredrick H. Evans. Riley talked to me about my love of photography and how I wasn't exactly living up to my potential by writing greeting cards. I tried to convince him that I was happy, professionally speaking, but he didn't buy it. Thankfully, he didn't try to push me, but rather encouraged me to look into different avenues for my photography when I got back to New York.

Throughout the week I had talked to Bella on the phone, sometimes for a few minutes but sometimes for a few hours. "Did you know that I am getting annoyed with oil paints?" Bella commented casually during our phone call on the Friday night before the wedding. Usually during our weekday conversations we would talk about nothing in particular, with me asking how her preparations were going for her art show and she would inquire about Riley, Bree and the wedding. However, today just didn't seem like Bella's day. She sounded frustrated, which made me angry because I couldn't be there to help her.

"What's going on, baby?" I asked casually, hoping that the new term of endearment I had started using on her lately might make her smile.

"I worked on a painting today and it cracked. I know all about the fat over lean rule because I didn't let my layers dry properly, but today it was like I couldn't focus. I'm a bit behind on my work now and I'm simply unbearable." I could hear Alice pipe up in the background in agreement and had to stifle a laugh so that Bella didn't think I was laughing at her.

"Well, I wish I was there to help you, or at least talk you down from the ledge," I advised sweetly as I heard Bella let out a sigh on the other end of the phone.

"You know, Alice and Rosalie have tried all night to get me to calm down, but it took one quick phone call with you to do it. I think you have some crazy ass mojo, Edward Cullen," Bella laughed and I reveled in the fact that I made her relax and not be so stressed out.

We spoke for a bit about the wedding location and then Alice hopped on the phone and wanted specific details about the wedding, when I mentioned to Bella that it was going to be at a place called the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden in Long Beach. It took almost five minutes for me to convince Alice that I had only seen the location in photos and not in person yet before she finally relented and handed the phone back to Bella.

"Here's my advice for you, baby… take the oil painting and throw it out. Go get a good night sleep and in the morning, start fresh. You will have something wonderful for your show in no time," I stated genuinely as I heard Bella sigh.

"I haven't been sleeping good since you left," she admitted and I could hear a bit of sadness in her voice. "I may need to take matters into my own hands in your absence."

Oh my god.

"Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

"Do you think I am saying that I might need to get myself off before I can sleep?"

"Yes."

"Then yes, that is exactly what I am saying. I miss you."

"Jesus, if I didn't have this damned rehearsal dinner to go to..." I cursed loudly, suddenly wishing I could stay in my hotel room and have phone sex with Bella, but I knew it wasn't possible. It was already five o'clock here and I was supposed to go down to the lobby at the hotel and meet Riley.

"Well, I know you can't play, but just think of this… when I touch myself, I will be thinking of your fingers, Edward," Bella practically fucking purred into the phone and my dress pants began to feel uncomfortable.

"Sweet Jesus… I will have you when I get back to New York."

"I'm counting on it."

"No chance you could wait like four hours until I get back from the rehearsal huh?"

"Edward… that would be one o'clock in the morning here."

"I know but fuck Bella… the possibility of having phone sex with you is so fucking appealing right now."

"Just cause we can't do it right now, doesn't mean we won't ever do it."

"Really?" I squeaked out, the excitement clear in my voice.

"You don't have to be out of the city for us to have phone sex Edward," Bella was literally dripping sex as she spoke and I was flooded with images of her pleasing herself. Hmm… I wonder if she would play with herself as I watched? I shook the thought from my head as my hotel room phone rang and I cursed because I was late to meet Riley.

Our call ended shortly after that and I wished Bella a good night, as she reassured me it would be excellent. Once I had hung up my cell phone, I grabbed my camera and literally ran for the elevator to meet Riley, who was sympathetic to my lateness once I told him who I had been talking to. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't focus on the events of the rehearsal. Instead, I thought about Bella all night and wished she was with me.

As expected, the wedding went off without a hitch. I spent an hour prior to the ceremony taking photos of Bree and Riley separately, before rushing over to the ceremony site to prepare myself for photographing the actual ceremony. I may have even caught a few photos of Bree's gruff looking father crying in the front row as his daughter said her vows. It was four o'clock when their ceremony ended and I directed the bridal party around the grounds of the gardens for more photos, including a series near the pond that was surrounded by candles and in the courtyard that was filled with Japanese lanterns. When all was said and done, my job completed and a drink in my hand, I felt confident that everyone would love the photos, but I desperately wanted to show them to Bella most of all.

When I casually checked my email late in the evening, I was shocked to find one from Penny in my PBW email account. From my conversations with Bella, I thought she was supposed to be out with Rosalie and Alice on this night, so the email surprised me.

_PBW, _

_I know it's late on a Saturday Night and you are probably out on a date or something, but I needed to get something off of my chest._

_It feels like we haven't been chatting a lot lately, and growing apart, so I wanted to let you know that I think it would be best if we didn't talk anymore. This may come across like a surprise, but I've met someone else and I would like the chance to see where it goes._

_I hope you understand,_

_Penny_

"Yes!" I shouted out a little too loudly as I stood near the bar, my eyes glued to the small cell phone screen in front of me. Several nearby wedding guests looked at me oddly, but I was literally jumping up and down inside my body with excitement because Bella was choosing me. Penny decided to reject PBW because Bella wanted to be with someone else. After our recent conversations, I was certain that she wanted to be with me and I couldn't wait to get back to New York City.

I had to see her, hold her, breathe her in and love her. Without any second guessing or drunken revelations, I knew I was in love with her, and I couldn't wait to press my lips against hers and tell her. My flight back to Manhattan couldn't come fast enough.


	20. Tell Me Why

**CPW: So I opened this edited chapter from my girl Flightlessgirl11 to find the most mundane A/N in the history of A/N's. I mean, even no A/N would have been better.**

**FLB11: Who pissed in your Corn Flakes this morning bitch?**

**CPW: That's whore to you and I didn't have Corn Flakes, I had Corn Pops. Get it right **

**FLB11: Anyways… get to the point and stop insulting me.**

**CPW: I had no point actually, but now that I mention it, don't forget to go vote in the Indie TwiFic Awards. My little buddy Flightlessbird11 has been nominated for her fic 'Someone to Watch Over Me' so go to indietwificawards (dot) com to vote for your favorites.**

**FLB11: Awww you can be sweet**

**CPW: Don't tell anyone. They might get the wrong idea of me. Remember, I'm a bitch on the outside and Toberlone on the inside.**

**FLB11: Anywhoo, while I consider committing my partner to an asylum, here's the shit we need to add. We don't own Twilight, but we do have over 200 Beatles songs that we scan through every week for chapter titles.**

**BPOV**

"Edward?" I answered as soon as my cell phone rang. I looked at my clock, which said it was just after five in the evening. He was due home soon, but I was starting to get a little worried about him since he hadn't called me like he promised before his flight took off and when it landed.

"Bella?" I breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of his voice.

"I'm here."

"My flight is delayed," was all he said. My heart sunk, because I had really been looking forward to seeing him and clearly that wasn't going to happen.

"Oh," I said, the disappointment obvious in my voice as I heard Edward let out a frustrated groan on the other end.

"There's a huge goddamn storm out here and my flight was the first fucking one they delayed, all the others left on time. I won't be back until late tonight." There was a short pause before he spoke again. I just listened, letting him get all of his frustrations out because I knew all too well what it was like to have to wait for a flight that was delayed. Flying back and forth to Washington could do that to a person. "Fuck, I miss you." I smiled at the complete turn around in his voice. It no longer sounded angry or frustrated, but sincere.

"I miss you, too." My voice rang out with complete earnestness, because the past week had been the single loneliest of my entire life. Garrett was still in town, but he hadn't so much as said two words to me since the night he tried to kiss me. I wanted him gone more than anything, but he was Rose's brother, and I didn't want to take her time with him away, even if it turned out that he was a complete douche. Unfortunately, he was coming to the gallery, but I was hoping that Edward's presence would override Garrett's.

"I guess I won't see you until the art showing tomorrow, then? I have to be uptown with Jacob Black tomorrow by six," I said, focusing my attention back to Edward. Jacob was the owner of the last gallery my artwork had been displayed in, and he also owned a bigger, more prestigious one uptown, where some of my paintings would be showing the next night. I smiled at the memory of him and his life partner, Sam, telling me how cute they thought I was and how I was a brilliant artist. I always shrugged them off, though.

"Yeah, I guess." The silence on the other end of the phone was beginning to be more than I could handle, so I decided to say goodnight to Edward because he was clearly too irritated for his own good. We hung up the phone and I made him promise to text me when he got home, no matter what time it was.

He ended up texting me around three in the morning, but I slept through it.

The next day was all preparation. Alice did everything but duct tape my limbs to a chair so she could pluck, wipe, prod, steam and curl every part of my body. For five hours. Five fucking hours she spent doing shit that I could have done myself in about an hour. But that's what made Alice happy, and as long as Alice was happy and not cracked out, complaining about how you look, everyone else could be happy.

As Alice worked her 'magic' on me, I had time to think about everything I'd realized about my relationship with Edward over the week that he was gone. As much as I hated the fact that he was away, it definitely allowed my head to clear up so I could think clearly. I knew what I had to do in order to try and make this fucked up situation right, so I could have a real shot at happiness with him. I needed to tell him about PBW. I needed to tell Edward that PBW was such a big part of the reason I was scared to be with him. I hoped he would understand why I didn't tell him sooner, but I was fairly sure he would since he was my best friend. I smiled at the memory of saying that to him the week before, and my confidence was increased one hundred times.

I slid into my dress that Alice had gotten me at her store, and admired myself in the mirror. I hadn't worn the dress or seen Edward since the first day he'd seen me try it on, but this time when I looked at my reflection, I felt confident. After all we'd talked about while he was gone, I no longer felt nervous or anxious regarding how he felt about me in the dress. I was going to blow Edward Cullen's mind tonight, that was for sure. But I needed to talk to him first. Talk. Then he could use his lustful, magical powers to cloud my mind.

My hair was pinned back in small, thin but tight curls, which hung down, covering the skin halfway down my neck. I was tempted to wear the rainbow heels again, but those poor things had been through enough the other night, they didn't need to risk being shoved up someone's ass. Instead, I was wearing sapphire blue peep toe pumps because wearing black heels with a black dress just seemed boring to me. Once we were all 'Alice approved,' we headed out the door and into a cab to the gallery uptown. I played nice with Garrett so as to not alert Rosalie that anything was wrong. Even though talking to him like old friends made me want to vomit a little.

I was anxious immediately once we arrived, scanning the place for Edward, even though logically I knew he wouldn't be there for at least another hour. He, Emmett and Jasper were arriving around eight since Jasper didn't close the bookstore until seven. Jacob and Sam were making sure that everything was in order when the three of us walked in, so we decided to walk over and say hello.

"Oh my gosh, how adorable are you with your blue shoes," Jacob said once he heard us approaching. I laughed at his comment and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello, Jacob. Thank you. Hello, Sam," I said as I leaned over to kiss Sam's cheek. Hey, they may not be my usual crowd, but the least I could do for them the night they host my artwork in their gallery was give 'em a kiss. They were so cute anyway, I couldn't resist.

"Oh and look at Tinkerbell over here with her little green dress, and oh my god, girl are those shoes from Barneys?" Sam asked Alice, gesturing to the black ballet flats she was wearing.

"I think so, Sam. They were dropped off at my store with a shitload of designer stuff, so it's quite possible," Alice said bluntly with a smile on her face. She loved when she could talk clothes with someone who actually understood her. The two of them sauntered off towards the bar so they could continue their conversation.

Rosalie, Jacob and I perused the rest of the gallery and when we came upon my piece, Rosalie took a picture of it with her phone, which buzzed a moment later.

"The boys are on their way," she said and my heart rate immediately picked up in both excitement and worry.

Twenty minutes later as more and more people started filing in, I felt someone wrap their arm around my waist, I sighed in contentment, thinking it was Edward. To my surprise, Garrett was cozied up beside me and I suddenly felt the urge to punch him in the face, art showing be damned.

"Oh my god, stop touching me," I whispered as forcefully as I could without calling any attention to myself. I tried to shrug him off but he squeezed me tighter. If I hadn't known this kid for years, I might have been afraid, but I also didn't want to make a scene in the middle of a crowded gallery. My future as an artist would disappear before my eyes if that happened. He leaned so is lips were at my ear, and my body went rigid.

"I know you want me, Bella. Don't be shy in front of all these people, show me how you feel," he whispered. Now I really wanted to throw up. How could he think I wanted him in the slightest? I turned around to face him, and he allowed me to move within his grasp. I stood on my toes and whispered in his ear.

"If I were to show you how I felt about you right now, I'd have to worry about being arrested for assault, so I suggest you let me fucking go or I won't hesitate to make your dick sorry it ever came near me." I pulled back from his face and sure enough Garrett's arm loosened so I was able to walk away. Fuck, where was Edward?

I spotted the head of blonde hair and the green dress that peeked out of the crowd beside it. I started searching frantically for my disheveled mass of bronze, but I came up with nothing. I even saw Emmett standing alongside Rosalie looking at some painting that looked like a pair of boobs, according to him anyway.

I walked through the gallery and out the door to get some fresh air, hoping maybe I would see Edward coming in; maybe he was arriving later than Emmett and Jasper. I let the soft breeze blow against my bare arms, trying to let it calm me down, because I was being a complete moron, freaking out over this. I'd finally made a move to go in what I was pretty sure was the right direction and now I couldn't find him. What if he didn't come?

A warm hand slid around my waist, breaking me from my worries, and I gasped. I turned around immediately to find Edward looking at me with those beautiful green eyes, and that perfectly absurd head of tousled hair on top of his amazingly beautiful head. I mean I obviously knew he was gorgeous before, but something about not seeing him for a week made his beauty even more prominent. I smiled at the sight of him, and his mouth curved into his crooked grin at my expression.

"Hey," he said, moving his arm back to where he wanted it around my waist before I'd flinched away from him. He looked unsure of something, but I assumed it was just because I had jumped away from his touch, when normally my reaction was just the opposite.

"Hey. I'm sorry, you scared me," I said. I stopped speaking for a moment, just looking at him and taking him in before I leaned into him. His arms wrapped around me and I slid my arms around his waist as I breathed him in. God how I'd missed his smell. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Edward cupped my cheek in his hand and leaned down, capturing my lips in a firm kiss. I answered his kiss, sliding my tongue along his bottom lip until his mouth opened, allowing me to savor the taste of him. Our tongues collided as he placed his hand at the back of my neck. Holy fuck, I was never going to be able to talk to him if he kept this up.

I pulled away from him in a desperate attempt to get him to listen to me. "Edward, I-" he cut me off with his lips once again, but pulled away after a moment and began kissing my neck. "I need to talk to you," I mumbled incoherently.

"About what?" he asked as his tongue – god – his warm, soft tongue, made its way back up my neck and across my jaw and back to my lips where it consumed my mouth for the second time. "I have something I wanted to tell you, too."

Well that was interesting. Not as interesting as Edward's lips though.

"I… I… oh…" I stammered unable to form a complete though let along a sentence. Edward was now sucking at the spot right behind my ear. He covered his lips with mine again and all thought was gone_. Apparently Edward's magical brain clouding powers are more effective after he's been absent._

I took a moment to think and realized that we were standing outside an art gallery, the art gallery where my work was showing at that very moment, no less. I knew I needed to move my lips away from Edward's general vicinity, but I couldn't find it in me to care where we were or who was watching. Especially once his hands snaked down my sides until they found purchase on my ass and he began squeezing gently, making my girly bits literally purr in excitement. He broke away from my mouth, so he could breathe I assumed, and I just stared at him.

"Okay," I squeaked. "That was… nice," I said as I moved my fingertips to his mouth, touching his swollen lips tenderly.

"Nice? That was _nice_?" he asked. I laughed at his mock offense, because he knew damn well that his kisses were much more than nice. He leaned down and kissed me gently once more, brushing a stray hair from my face when he pulled away. "You look beautiful in that dress." Those six words shattered my resolve into a million pieces, but I felt so exposed with all the people shuffling passed us as we held onto each other.

I smiled and leaned into his chest, hugging him tightly before grabbing his hand. "Come on," I said, pulling him back into the building where I prayed there was an unlocked office or a closet somewhere. "We can talk later." Talking was overrated.

We managed to walk by unnoticed by all of our friends, towards the back of the gallery where there was a hallway and three doors. I jiggled the first handle and found that it was locked, so I reached for the next and almost squealed in excitement when it pushed open with ease. I looked over at Edward and his eyes were shining with the same knowing excitement as mine. As soon as he closed the door behind us, he grabbed me, turning me around and pinning me against the door. I hadn't even looked around to see what room it was we'd barged into, but I didn't really care at the moment.

Edward's lips were on mine and suddenly he was the only thing in the world that my body could detect or react to. Everything else disappeared when he touched me. "God, I missed… you were all I thought about," he mumbled against my mouth as his hands moved to the hem of my dress, pushing them up my thighs underneath the fabric. I moaned at the feel of his hands and wrapped one of my legs around his hip to steady myself.

"Me too. So much," I said honestly as Edward moved his hands to the back of my thighs, lifting me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He pushed my dress up my legs at the same time so I could fit around him comfortably. I could feel his erection pressing right against my clit and I moaned into his mouth when he bucked his hips against mine.

He began stumbling backwards and for the first time since we'd been there, I looked around and noticed we were in some sort of office, and Edward was walking our tangled bodies over to a leather couch that sat across from a huge desk. Edward knelt down in front of the couch and I kept my arms and legs wrapped around him. Fingering the hem of my panties, he slid one finger inside, teasing my clit. "So wet," he mumbled against my neck as one of my hands came up and grasped his hair. He grabbed my panties and tugged them down my legs, pulling away from me only long enough to get them off me.

"Oh my god, Edward," I breathed as Edward eased his finger inside me while his thumb worked magic on my clit, moving in circles and pressing down firmly. "Fuck, I love your fingers."

"Is this what you thought about while I was away?" he asked as he added another finger. He moved the thicker strap of my dress aside so he could suck on my neck and not worry about leaving a mark.

I nodded my head in response and just as he bit down on my neck ever so gently, I shuddered and clenched around his fingers. I unbuttoned his suit jacket and slid it off, loosening his tie so I could take it off him. I wanted to feel his chest against my body while he fucked me. I undid the buttons on his shirt as quickly as I could without ripping them off. "Fuck me. Now," I said as my hands roamed his chest and I brought my mouth down to tease his nipple with my tongue.

"My pleasure," Edward said huskily before I grabbed his shoulders and stood him up so he could sit back down on the couch. I straddled his lap and kissed him forcefully while I rubbed my palm over his rock hard dick through his dress pants. I unbuckled his belt after a moment and Edward lifted himself up slightly so I could tug his pants down. I released his cock from his boxers, stroking it a few times before running it along my slit.

"Bella," he groaned as I slid onto his cock forcefully. I began moving my hips against his, sliding almost all the way off of him before slamming myself back down, eager for more friction that our position on the couch could give us. Edward grabbed my ass in his hands, guiding me up and down along his cock, as I began bucking my hips frantically. I still needed more.

"Faster, Edward. Please, fuck me harder," I forced out as my face pressed against his neck. Edward thrust his hips against mine a few more times before he stood up, carrying us across the rather large room. I closed my eyes tightly, afraid that he would trip and I'd be on my back in a matter of seconds. Before I knew what was happening, Edward was slamming me against the wall, and god, it hurt so good.

"Fuck, like this?" he asked as one of his hands held onto my ass and one moved to rub my clit. He was still pounding into me against the wall, sending the most intense pleasure shooting throughout my body with each forceful thrust.

"Yes… yes. Oh my god, yes," I moaned loudly. With a few more powerful thrusts of his hips, my movements stilled before my entire body trembled as I came hard around him. I felt his cock pulsating inside me as he came, our lips meeting as our kiss swallowed the volume of our shared pleasure.

"You're incredible," Edward mumbled into my neck as he set me down and pulled out of me. I kissed his temple in response, running my hand gently through his hair. My legs felt like jelly and they buckled under my weight, but Edward caught me before I fell. He steadied me and made sure I had my balance before letting go, allowing me to straighten my dress and smooth out the fabric as best I could.

Edward grabbed his shirt, buttoning it up and putting his tie back on, followed by his jacket. I was about to put my panties back on when an idea struck me. I folded them up, opening up Edward's jacket and sticking them into the inside pocket.

"You're so not getting these back," he said as he kissed me quickly before taking my hand and walking us to the door. Of course, since we were us and could never seem to get away with anything that smoothly, we came face to face with Jacob on our way out of the office.

He stared at us with wide eyes, shocked because what we'd just done was probably written all of our faces.

"You've, uh, got a really great couch in there, man," Edward said ever so smoothly, patting Jacob on the arm before dragging me away from the stunned gay man in the hallway. We laughed on our way back to the gallery, and the room took on a whole new perspective now that he was with me.

"So, did you say you wanted to talk to me about something?" Edward asked after a few minutes. Suddenly reality came down and swooped me up; PBW and everything I wanted to tell Edward came flooding back into my memory.

"Yeah… I did, but can I show you my painting first?"

"Of course, that is why we're here, isn't it? Show me," he said as I led him towards the section of the gallery where my paintings were displayed. I stopped in front of the first one, showing him proudly. He stared at it for a moment, taking it all in and I was suddenly nervous about his reaction. He got behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"It's beautiful, baby."

**EPOV**

The moment the rainstorms hit Southern California, my heart sunk in my chest and my whole body began to ache. The week without Bella literally sucked, and even though we had some contact on the phone, it wasn't enough for me. In fact, my trip had helped me realize that I needed more… so much more from her.

When I finally got home, it was so damned late that I considered not even contacting Bella. However, since I am clearly whipped when it comes to her, I sent her a text and then went to bed, waking every hour to see if she had responded back. Needless to say, I slept for shit and then when I had to get ready to go to the gallery showing the next night, I wasn't exactly feeling up to it.

That was until I saw Bella outside the gallery, appearing to get some fresh air. She took my breath away in the dress that I saw her try on at Alice's shop a little over a week ago. As I slid my arm around her tiny waist and whispered 'Hey' to her, I was shocked at how much I had scared her. That hadn't been my intention at all, and I began to wonder if she was having second thoughts about me… about 'us'.

All thoughts worries evaporated the moment I felt her lips on mine. I was taken by surprise when Bella led me into a back office for what turned out to be the most primal and all consuming sex I had ever had. In all honesty, I hadn't been with that many girls before Bella, but if I had my way, there would certainly be no others after her.

After we left the room and had a small run-in with Jacob, who I managed to completely mortify, Bella and I headed back into the main room of the gallery where she showed me some of her work. She had several pieces on display and I already knew that two of them had sold. For a split second I wished I had some additional income kicking around so that I could afford to buy one, even a small one, because she was a talented artist; that I was sure of.

A little bit later, Jacob and Sam pulled Bella from my side and as I wandered over to the bar for a beer, I came across Rosalie and Emmett. His arm was draped across her possessively, but she didn't seem to mind in the least. He was also talking on his cell phone very animatedly and I couldn't help but try to listen in as I ordered my drink. When he was finished, I was shocked by the gigantic smile on his face.

"That was my agent. Guess who's in an audition for a Broadway musical?" he asked stupidly.

"I want to say you, but that seems like such an easy answer," I replied sarcastically as Rosalie rolled her eyes beside me. She had the patience of a saint for toughing it out this long with Emmett.

"It's me! It's a musical version of a Tale of Two Cities, so I think I'm going to sing 'New York, New York' and ah… um… 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

"Uh… Em… you do know that isn't the point of a Tale of Two Cities, right?" I asked dumbly as Rosalie just waved her hand at me, as though it was pointless to try and argue with him. Emmett looked at me, the confusion clear on his face and I just shook my head and pretended like I hadn't asked a question. Surely this audition would have to be better than the one where he had to speak French and he ended up sounding like the teacher from the 'Peanuts' because let's be honest… Emmett barely knew English, let alone French.

"So what's going on with you and Hells Bells? I saw you guys walking around earlier," Emmett said casually, after Rosalie excused herself to use the ladies room, and I took a long pull from my beer as I looked around the room for Bella.

"We're… I don't know what we are technically, but I think we're something," I admitted as Emmett smacked me on the shoulder lightly, leaving me stunned. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"She's had Rosalie's brother all over her tonight. They were pretty cozy at one point too, leaning into each other, whispering and shit. I just thought if she was really into you and you guys were 'something,'" said Emmett, emphasizing the 'something' with air quotes, "then maybe she's not that into you."

Suddenly my heart fell in my chest, not unlike it did the moment I found out my flight out of LAX had been delayed. Was Penny's email to me on Saturday night confessing that she had found someone else all wrong? Had she written it not because she wanted me but because Bella actually wanted Garrett? No, that couldn't be the case could it? If that was true, I had gotten my hopes up over nothing and was about to face some serious heartbreak, because I had been on the verge of telling Bella I loved her in the back office.

She had been so aggressive, sexy and downright frantic, that I almost lost all control and blurted it out. Thankfully, I had a small amount common sense during that primal fuckfest, because I said nothing and kept my emotions hidden, even though I was sure they were obvious in my face and how I touched her soft body.

"Are you okay, man?" asked Emmett as I shook my head from my thoughts and remembered what we had been talking about.

"I'm not sure that's true," I replied distractedly as Emmett shrugged his shoulders at me and ordered another beer.

"Well, after spending some time with Garrett over the past few days, I think he and Bella have something going on. The way he talked about her man… well shit… let's just say, I'm pretty sure he's hitting that, so I would hate to see you get hurt, man. I know how emotional you get over stuff like this," he said bluntly as I stood there completely paralyzed. What the hell was going on? Bella wouldn't have been with him while I was away would she? No… she wouldn't. I wasn't the most confident person in the world, but I was pretty sure Bella wouldn't cheat on me. Then again, we hadn't defined our relationship, so we weren't exclusive or anything like that.

I didn't know what the fuck was going on. Were all the 'I miss you's' we'd exchanged over the phone the entire week I was away, not to mention the several times we'd said it tonight, just about the sex? Is that still all she saw us as after all the progress we seemed to be making? Fuck buddies? I really thought things had been changing for the better between us. I mean shit, we'd confessed that we were each other's best friends. Didn't that mean a goddamn thing to her? Fuck, I sounded like a woman. Or maybe a lovesick teenage girl. Either way, there were way too many feminine feelings going on.

I took a long pull from my beer, polishing it off and ordering another one as Jasper and Alice walked up to us, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist and I began to freak out. If things really went this badly between Bella and I, would things change between our best friends? Fuck, this was going to be awkward if my worst fears came true.

"Hey Emmett, what would you do if you were omnipotent?" asked Jasper as he motioned to the bartender and Emmett looked at him with a stern expression.

"Probably kill myself?"

"Excuse me?" Jazz questioned with a small laugh.

"Hey, if little Emmett's dead, then I've got no reason to live."

"Emmett, omnipotent," Jazz added as I shook my head, seeing the futility in his efforts.

"You are Jasper? Damn, I'm so sorry man. When did you find out?" Emmett asked as I noticed Bella off to the far side of the gallery and decided it was time to go and talk to her.

"Emmett, it means all powerful," laughed Alice loudly as I began to walk away, completely dismissing my friends. Bella had been standing with Jacob when I first saw her, but as I got closer to her, she was alone, looking as beautiful as ever and staring at a painting on the wall.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I asked, groaning at myself internally for making a Penny reference. Fuck, I was an idiot.

"Hey… I was just thinking about you, actually," she said sweetly, even though her voice rang with a bit of concern. "I need to tell you something."

"Shoot," I said, trying to sound casual but I knew my voice was cracking with nervousness. I really didn't want what Emmett told me to come true, but as Bella opened her mouth to speak, my worst fears came true.

"So I've had a lot of weird things happen to me in the past few months. Between gallery openings, meeting you, going home to Washington and well… just everything, there's been something that I haven't told you about. It's kind of important too," she said as I began tapping my foot on the ground nervously, waiting for the ball to drop. "There was someone else…"

Bella was cut off from her comment by Garrett who walked up beside her and draped his arm around her shoulder possessively, not unlike Emmett was doing to Rosalie earlier in the evening. Bella turned around to face him, and I did the only thing I could think of; I took a few steps backwards and got lost in the crowd, finding the door as soon as I could. I stepped out into the humid Manhattan night, gasping for air and some sort of explanation. I hailed the first cab I could find and went straight home, unwilling to face Bella, since she had obviously fallen for someone else. I felt like such a fucking idiot for almost telling her I loved her. The more I began to think about it, it felt even more laughable that I'd thought for a second she felt the same way about me.

As I walked in the front door of my apartment, I looked around and for the first time since I had moved in here, it felt lonely. I locked the door behind me, clicking the deadbolt with certainty as I then grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket, turned it off and then tossed it on the kitchen counter. So much of my apartment reminded me of Bella, it was fucking ridiculous. Hell, I couldn't even step into my darkroom without seeing pictures of her everywhere, it was kinda like I had my own personal fucking shrine to her in there and it was a bit disconcerting. When had I become this fucking pathetic?

I made sure all the lights in the apartment were off and then I climbed the stairs to my room, eager to climb inside and forget about everything that had happened in my life since the moment I first went into the chat room and stumbled across PennyLane84. I quickly undressed and when I climbed into bed, the darkness shrouding the room, my leg hit the edge of my laptop. I was tempted to just throw the thing across the apartment, but instead I did something even stupider.

I opened it up and turned it on, waiting impatiently till my wireless internet was up and then I logged into my chat account. Penny wasn't online.

"Of course she's not online, you fucking idiot. She's with her new fucking boyfriend," I yelled obnoxiously to myself. I went to my account settings and as my mouse hovered over the button, I had second thoughts about what I was about to do. Then I pictured Garrett with his arm wrapped around Bella and the way she completely ignored me as she turned towards him before I walked away.

I deleted my account, the finality of the mouse clicking seemed to echo throughout my entire apartment, and I wasn't looking back.

**You hate us now, huh? Yes, Edward is an idiot, but we promise we are not making this shit up out of thin air to torment you lovely readers. There is a method to our madness, so click the green button if you hate us, or love us, or just question our sanity.**


	21. HELP!

**CPW: So I know your boxes are full…**

**FLB11: tee hee hee**

**CPW: Yeah, I said it. Anyways, we know your 'inboxes' are getting inundated with updates today thanks to the efforts of Mrs. TheKing the her 'Readers Appreciation Day' that she has started, but you know that we always update on Sundays.**

**FLB11: So, since we're updating as per usual, we will just say that we love each and everyone one of our readers for their supportive reviews and continual support. Without you there would be no MIFFY.**

**CPW: Well there would be, but she would be a cute fluffy bunny and not a fuckawesome yet confusing story about Edward and Bella.**

**FLB11: True dat. We don't own Twilight; we did however post outfits on our profiles for this chapter and the last.**

**BPOV**

"There was someone else-" I started to say when I felt an arm drape over my shoulder suddenly. I turned around, furious, because I knew it was fucking Garrett and I wasn't sure how I was going to keep my cool this time.

"Why the fuck do you keep bothering me?" I asked, anger seeping from what felt like every orifice in my body. "I can't keep playing nice, please leave." Garrett didn't look phased by my statement at all, instead he looked up to where Edward was standing and smiled smugly.

"No, it's okay. I've accomplished my goal," he said as I turned around and found a crowd of people where Edward had been standing just a second ago. What the fuck?

"Fuck off," I said as I pushed away from Garrett and walked away in search for Edward. Why did he leave? What the hell was going on, had I missed something?

I searched the entire gallery, seeing everyone but the person I was looking for; the person I needed. I was so confused as to why Edward would leave. Had he gotten the wrong impression about Garrett? Was he kidnapped or possibly abducted by aliens? I could feel Garrett hot on my tail as I made my way through the crowd of people and finally outside. I looked all around until I saw a head of bronze hair within a cab that was driving away.

"What the fuck," I said, the thickness of tears becoming clear in my voice. He was shutting me out? What the fuck had just happened? Edward and I had just fucked in a back office, what the hell did he think I was doing with Garrett? I turned around fiercely, knowing who I would find standing behind me.

"You're some piece of shit, do you know that? All these years you continue asking me out, but as soon as you see that I'm with someone you…" I trailed off, a single tear escaping my eye.

I didn't even think about what I did next. Before I knew it, my foot, clad with pretty high heels, came down onto Garrett's, and my fist connected with his face.

"Ouch!" I seethed, brining my hand to my chest and rubbing it. Punching that fucker was so worth it though.

"You fucking bitch! No lay could ever be worth this!" Garrett shouted, clutching his nose. There was no blood, so I hadn't hit him all that hard. I was still damn proud though.

"What the hell is going on?" I heard Rosalie's voice behind me as she ran quickly outside. More tears began to fall over my cheeks as the realization of what was actually happening hit me.

I'd been harassed by her younger brother for the passed few days, and now Edward was gone because of it, and now she was coming outside my gallery showing to find me punching the lights out of Garrett. To say the situation was screwed up would probably be an understatement. There were so many things that I felt like I was missing. How could everything that I'd been gathering up, everything that felt so right in my life for the first time, be falling down on top of me so fast? I was going to start setting things right, and I was starting with Rosalie. Losing Edward because I didn't want her to be upset by her brother wasn't worth any of this.

"I was just setting your brother straight, because apparently 'no' means 'take me, I'm yours' in Garrett-speak," I said, trying to keep my voice calm, but I could hear the rifts in it.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rose asked, looking seriously confused. She looked at me and then at Garrett, who was still holding his nose and refusing to look at his sister. I wanted to punch him again for being such a coward and not saying anything.

"Your brother tried to kiss me the other night when we went out to the bar, and now he seems to have some sort of magnetizing action going on with my shoulder, because he can't keep his arm off it," I said angrily. "Edward just left without so much as a word, and I, for one, am seriously confused."

"Okay, so just to clarify, you didn't want Garrett kissing you, correct?" Rosalie asked, trying to keep her voice level but I could tell it was just the opposite. She looked furious, but I understood that she wanted to make sure she knew everything before she went off on him. He was her brother after all.

I nodded my head and she looked at Garrett. "What the fuck, Garrett? I thought you were better than this shit. We all knew you annoyed the shit out of Bella, constantly asking her out, but forcing yourself on her?"

"She can't seriously want to be with that fucking coward when she's got me. All I wanted was a chance to show her what she was missing," Garrett finally said forcefully. I moved toward him so I could give him a piece of my mind… or my shoe, but Rosalie beat me to it.

She kicked him in the junk, causing him to recoil and bend down, before she drew her hand back and punched him in the eye. I stood there, watching with my mouth hanging open as Garrett screamed in pain, trying to deal with the pain in his groin at the same time as the blow to the face that I was sure would give him a black eye in the morning. Rosalie turned away from her brother and came over to me, trapping me in a strong embrace. I could only imagine the fights they got into when they were younger and wondered briefly why the hell how they were still alive.

"Why didn't you tell me that my brother was such a douche to you?" she asked as I shed more tears, watered down with guilt.

"I'm so sorry. I know I should have, but I…" I took a deep breath before pulling back and looking at her. "It was a stupid decision, but I didn't want to overwhelm you with yet another one of my problems, least of all taking time away from your brother while he was in the city visiting for a few weeks. He was always so sweet to me before, I just don't know what happened."

"He may be my brother, but right now he's an asshole." Rose turned to look at her brother again. "I suggest you go take a long walk, and don't come back to the house until no one is around to see you," she said with an air of finality.

Forty-five minutes later, Rosalie, Alice and I were walking back into the house and I was completely exhausted. I needed to tell them everything about how I felt, especially about Edward, and about PBW, which I was even more confused about now than ever, because it had been so long since we'd spoken. I was certain that I didn't feel for him like I felt for Edward, not really in the physical way, anyway. Well, that could have been because I'd never actually met him.

I went up to my bedroom and changed into my pajamas, washed my face and went back downstairs. I grabbed three bottles of water from the fridge and sat back down in the living room where Alice and Rosalie were already sitting, waiting for me with sad, sympathetic looks on their faces. My chest fell at their expressions, because they shouldn't have had to carry around my guilt and frustration. I did it all to myself, and dragging my friends into it wasn't the wisest thing I'd ever done, but I was making it my life's mission to start looking before I leapt.

I sat down on the couch in between them, both of them wrapping their arms around me. The warmth of their embrace cracked my already cracking shell. I let out one sob, which ended up turning into constant tears, a runny nose and a sore throat before I knew it.

"Bella, Bella. What happened?" Alice asked, rubbing my arm and hugging me tightly. I knew Rosalie had told her about Garrett, but neither of them new that my feelings for Edward had simultaneously grown and been shot down in one night.

I took two deep breaths before continuing. "I have feelings for Edward," I finally said, another sob following quickly. I wiped my nose and looked up at my best friends, and I remembered why I knew I'd always be able to count on them. They were always there for me, even if it meant Rose tossing her brother out on his ass. "And it hurts, it really hurts. It hurts to admit it, and it hurts to feel, but I…" I trailed off; I couldn't stop myself from crying. It was too much, and I felt like an idiot for it.

"What, Bella? What are you trying to say?" Rosalie asked soothingly, moving a stray hair from my face that was stuck to my cheek from fallen tears. "It's just us, you can tell us anything."

"The feelings… the feelings I have for Edward are killing me, but I don't want them to go away," I said, wiping my nose on my hand again. Alice ran and got me a box of tissues and I took one, thanking her. I blew my nose as Rosalie kissed the top of my head. The action almost made the crying start again, because I'd knocked down the tough as steel wall that Rose always had up, and I was overwhelmed with emotion that I was someone who could do that; someone who she would do it for.

"But he left tonight, and I really don't know why. We've been so close lately, and it felt like things were starting to go in the right direction, and now I feel like my compass was stolen by a raccoon," I said with a little laugh at my ridiculousness, but even that came out with a small cry.

"Bella? My brother managed to screw with you so much over the past week, and I'm not sure what Edward thinks he knows or saw, so I think we should all sleep on it and see if he comes around. If he doesn't I might have to go kick him in the balls myself, okay?"

I nodded and Alice squeezed me tighter. "And I'll be right next to you, Rose. Edward was the one who kept hounding after you, there's no way he'd just give up and walk out on you for no reason," she said. I shook my head, because there was still something that they didn't know.

"But I think he got the wrong impression about what I was trying to say to him. I was trying to tell him something, and I think all I did was fuck up an already fucked up situation," I said in one breath.

"What do you mean?" Alice asked, her tiny brow furrowing in confusion.

"I was trying to tell him about… my online fella," I said, laughing at Alice's nickname for PBW. "And I think he may have thought I was talking about your brother," I said, nodding my head in Rosalie's direction.

"Well what did you say?" Rosalie questioned, her tone urging me to continue.

"I told him that there was something that I hadn't told him about, that there _was_ someone else, and not that there _is_ someone else, but that's when Garrett decided to make his appearance. Then when I turned around after confronting Garrett, Edward was gone." One lone tear escaped as I remembered how barren and lonely I'd felt at the sight of everyone but him standing where he should have been.

"Well shit, girl. You really dug yourself into a hole," Rosalie said. I sort of sob-laughed and nodded my head in agreement. "But honestly, I don't think this is anything you can't fix, so I suggest we all get a good night's sleep and decide what to do about this in the morning."

Alice and I readily agreed and we all headed into Alice's bedroom, and climbed into her bed. We all laughed because it was like we were fourteen again, sleeping in the same bed, but I kind of needed it, and they knew it. I was trapped in between the two of them as we talked about everything and nothing, eventually falling into a restless sleep.

The alarm clock went off at eight, and all three of us groaned, because we'd clearly stayed up too late to be getting up at eight o'clock. We all got up and I fixed us a pot of coffee. There wasn't a chance that I was going to Common Grounds and risk running into Edward. Even though I needed and wanted to talk to him, I didn't know exactly what I was going to say, and I didn't want to make the situation worse by not thinking and saying the wrong thing.

I got showered and dressed, making another pot of coffee for myself after Alice and Rose left for work. Just before nine, I walked out the front door towards the park. It was another joyful day of dog walking that I had to look forward to, just something else that got in between Edward and I.

I knew I would have some explaining to do, and hopefully whatever I had to offer him worked, because at that point, I didn't know what I would do without Edward in my life.

**EPOV**

When I woke up the next morning I rolled over at stared at my alarm clock for what seemed like ages, with no real reason to get up out of bed. I didn't have any major work to do today, but I did need to get to an appointment later in the day for a final review with a couple who was getting married on the weekend. Afton and Charles were a lovely couple who were a little young to be getting married in my opinion, but then again I thought anyone younger than me who was getting married was too young.

"What the hell… I'm becoming a cynic now?" I yelled out as I sat up in bed and scrubbed at my face. It was ten in the morning and the last thing I wanted to do was get out of bed. However, if I got up now, I would definitely miss running into Bella at Common Grounds, and that idea was very appealing to me at that moment. She always went before now and I was so desperate for a coffee, that the idea of going over in a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt didn't bother me in the slightest. Little did I know what I would expect when I walked in the door of my favorite coffee shop.

"Has anyone ever told you that sometimes you messy hair makes you look like the devil?" questioned Alice as I rolled my eyes and ran my hand through my hair, trying to pat it down unsuccessfully. The second worst thing that could happen to me today, after seeing Bella, would be these two girls. "Don't you think so Rosalie? I think it has horns… on the right and left side. Kinda weird how it does that."

Rosalie silently nodded her head and narrowed her eyes at me as I stepped towards the counter and ordered the largest damn coffee I could get. Hell, if I could mainline the shit right now, I would. "Is there something I can do for you girls, because it seems a bit suspicious to me that in all the months I have lived across the street, this is the first time I've seen you in here."

"Well my friend Alice here doesn't usually need coffee since she is high on life most of the time, but I could use a fix after being up most of the night because of our sobbing best friend and my dick of a brother," said Rosalie as I looked at her face and could clearly see the bags under her eyes. Margaret handed me my drink as I paid her with a five dollar bill and tossed all my change into her tip jar. She gave me a remorseful look and I knew I was in for it the moment I started to walk away and Rosalie jumped up from her seat. "You may not need to talk to us, but we need to talk to you, Edward. So park your ass in that chair. We won't bite."

"Speak for yourself. Jazz loves when I bite…" began Alice as I covered up my ears after I had lowered my coffee cup to the table. The last thing I needed to hear about was anything having to do with Alice and Jasper's sex life. "Oh fine. I'll keep my mouth shut. I'm just here as the muscle anyway."

I quirked my eyebrow at Alice and Rosalie just rolled her eyes and laughed lightly at her friend. "Speak. I have stuff to do today, and until two seconds ago it didn't involve an interrogation."

"So last night you have no balls whatsoever and leave Bella in the lurch, but today you're all sarcastic and brooding. What the hell, Edward?" snapped Rosalie as I suddenly wished she was Emmett so I could smack her upside the head. Even though my mother and I didn't always get along, she did teach me never to hit a woman, and I wasn't about to start today.

"Listen… Bella is with Garrett, not me. There's nothing more to discuss. I really do have shit to do today, so if you girls are done playing Nancy fucking Drew or whatever, I've got to go."

"You always go places in your pajamas?" piped up Alice as I gripped the edge of my chair and found myself wishing that I had never woken up this morning. "Bella isn't dating Garrett. She hardly even likes the fucker. He's just a grabby little asshole who can't take no for an answer. No offense, Rosalie. I know he's your brother and all, but I wished I had kicked him in the baby maker last night for what he's done to Bella."

"What did he do to Bella?" I asked, the concern quickly escaping through my voice. Rosalie clearly didn't take offense to Alice's comment, even though Garrett was her younger brother. The girls spent the next few minutes telling me in detail everything that happened after I left the Gallery the night before, and to say that I was remorseful once they finished speaking would be an understatement.

Emmett had been misunderstood in what he explained to me, because Garrett had mislead him during their previous conversations into believing something that wasn't true. To make matters worse, Rosalie wasn't even aware that Garrett was constantly hitting on Bella because she didn't want to rock the boat, but Rosalie was downright furious with him. The thing that made me feel worst of all was had I just stayed with Bella, as Alice had repeatedly pointed out to me, I would have known this last night and probably would have gone home with Bella after we both took shots at Garrett for messing with us.

I now officially felt like shit, but at least Rosalie and Alice didn't actually hate me.

"Where's Bella now?" I questioned curiously, hoping that she wasn't about to walk in the door of the coffee shop. I wasn't quite prepared to see her and beg her for forgiveness yet, because I decided I needed to talk to her girlfriends. I was tired of walking around on eggshells and making assumptions that may not be true.

"She's walking the dogs. She'll probably be extra long today since she was such a mopey bitch when she left the house. Why… are you going to call her?" asked Alice as she finished off her tea and pushed the cup towards the center of the small table we were all converged around.

"No. I'm gonna go see her later, but I need to get some advice from you guys." Suddenly Alice began digging through her purse and pulled out her cell phone and looked positively panicked. "What's wrong now?"

I took a sip of my drink as Alice pressed a few buttons and then held her phone up to her ear, her hand raised to me so I wouldn't speak. "Hello? Uh yeah. You're gonna have to take my ten thirty appointment because it's like, 10:35, and I'm not there. Yeah, something important came up. You can handle helping Mrs. Murphy pick out a trench coat. This isn't rocket science," Alice stated firmly before she turned off her phone and turned her attention back to me. "Sorry about that, I just didn't want to miss dishing out advice. Jasper keeps telling me to keep my nose out of your business, but because it involves Bella, I so desperately want to toss in my two cents. You have no idea how hard it has been."

"This is about Bella, right?" Rosalie questioned as I looked between the two girls who were staring at me, their attention completely focused on my words.

"No, I was going to ask if you these shoes matched these socks," I replied sarcastically. "Of course it's about Bella."

"Okay, shoot."

"I'm her Paperback_Writer."

"You're her what now?" said Alice, as her and Rosalie both looked at me as though I was speaking a foreign language. I never once for a second thought that Bella hadn't told them about her online conversations, because she always seem so open and forthright with her friends that I was sure they knew. Apparently that wasn't the case at all. "What's a paperback writer? I thought you were a photographer, not an author."

"Jesus, you are thick. You must have seen her chatting online sometime in the past few months, right? She's in a Beatles chat room some of the time; at least that was where we met under our aliases. She's PennyLane84 and I'm Paperback_Writer. I only found this out a few weeks ago when she went home because of her dad's heart attack. The night I came over with the guys and Bella came home… you do remember me staying over, right? That was the night I realized she was Penny." I let out a huge sigh as Alice and Rosalie's faces both grew wide with excitement. The moment I finished speaking they literally looked like they were going to jump up from their seats and do a happy dance a la Perfect Strangers, and Alice would most definitely be Balki. "We were supposed to meet the morning she had to fly to Seattle, and I waited for her for hours in Central Park, but she never showed. When she finally told me via email what had happened, I put two and two together. "

"Oh. My. God. This is the best news ever. Does Bella know? How did you tell her? You guys are going to have the cutest babies ever. With your devil like hair and her big brown eyes… I can just see it now. Well, not as cute as the babies Jasper and I will eventually have, but you get the picture," stammered Alice uncontrollably as Rosalie reached up and grabbed her shoulder. I was kinda hoping she would smack some sense into her, but it didn't happen.

"Slow your roll little one," she told her friend before turning to me. "Now… does Bella know?" I shook my head in the negative as Rosalie raised her lips evilly. She was clearly concocting some sort of plan and I was getting nervous. "How are you going to tell her?"

"I don't know."

"Oooh… let's throw a big party and have a banner across the room that says 'Edward is your soul mate' and we can have the songs Penny Lane and Paperback Writer playing over and over again. She would pee her pants," shouted Alice excitedly as Rosalie laughed and I scoffed at the idea, because it was asinine. "Edward, are you questioning my methods?"

"I'm not questioning it, Alice; I'm saying it's stupid."

"Do you have a better idea?" she replied tensely as I shrugged my shoulders because even though her idea sucked, it was still better than the nothing I had going on. "Okay, let's brainstorm."

"I'm going to have to drink a lot of coffee to keep up with you two, won't I?"

"Probably," declared Rosalie as I motioned with my hand to Margaret and she brought me another coffee and started a tab at my request. We then spent the next hour and half chatting and developing ideas for how to break the news to Bella that I was her PBW. It was great to be able to talk to her friends about it, because they were quick to shoot down any idea that they thought she could misconstrue or get upset over. I didn't want this reveal to cause more turmoil between us; I wanted it to keep us together and solidify what we had. However, that was easier said than done.

"When all else fails Edward, just do it - call her! Stop being so testosterony," stated Alice as Rose and I both looked at her perplexed before Rose chimed in her two cents.

"Which, by the way, is the real San Francisco treat. "

~*~*~

Two hours later, after having a shower and calling Afton and Charles to push our meeting back by one hour due to an emergency, I found myself rapping against the door knocker on Bella's front door. I was a bundle of nerves, but I knew this was something that had to be done. I was shocked when the door opened and there stood Garrett with a black eye. I may have felt a little smug.

"Is Bella here?" I asked politely, trying to reign in my anger towards the guy who stood a few feet in front of me and had tried to ruin my burgeoning relationship with Bella.

"No," he replied tensely as he began to close the door, clearly not wanting to get into a situation with me. Unfortunately for him, I was high from my morning with Rosalie and Alice and he was going to have to deal with me, so I shoved my foot between the door and the jamb as I pressed my hand against the door, preventing it from closing.

"Well, how about I just wait until she gets home," I said forcefully as I moved inside the brownstone and looked around the place. It was a mess, but I got a little excited at the sight of luggage sitting by the front door. "You going somewhere?"

"Yeah… the airport. You aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer, are you? I can't imagine what Bella sees in you," he said icily as he sat down on the couch and picked up the remote, flipping through the channels aimlessly.

"So who gave you the shiner?"

"Do you actually care?"

"Not really, though I'm mad someone got to you before me. I can't believe you thought Bella wanted you though. Did she say she wanted you? I mean, if she was dropping signals, I could see you getting your hopes up, but if this is how you act around girls than it's no wonder your single," I replied as I sat in one of the armchairs, trying to be patient. I knew Garrett was younger than us, and hadn't exactly been acclimated to the big city, but he was acting like an idiot. He would never be able to grow up or find someone for himself, anyone but Bella preferably, if he kept up what he was doing.

"Yeah well, you're not the only prick she was into. She's been sending emails to some douche online," he asked suddenly as I whipped my head towards him.

"Excuse me… what was that?"

"Nothing, I said nothing."

"Fuck off. What did you say? She's talking to who online?"

"You fucking idiot. She's been practically dating to some asshole online, although he's even worse than you. It's not exactly the smoothest thing in the world to make her want you online, am I right? Idiot. She won't be happy when she finds out that her online guy thinks she wants someone else. Perhaps this is a good thing though, because then she will come running to me to pick up the pieces," commented Garrett as he stroked at his chin like he had an imaginary beard or something. I wanted to wipe the smug grin right off his face, with my fucking fist.

"Oh and she'll be thrilled to know you invaded her privacy and was on her computer, clearly reading her private chat conversations and emails," I retorted angrily. However, Garrett just seemed glutton for punishment and kept egging me on, digging himself into an ever bigger hole.

"What the hell do you care? It's not like you have any confidence or faith in your relationship with her, otherwise you never would have left her last night at the Gallery. You're just a pussy and Bella will see that soon enough and you'll be all alone, crying onto your pathetic fucking photos," he replied as the door bell rang, breaking us from our argument. "That would be my cab to the airport."

"Well, let me help you," I said with mock kindness as my mind began reeling. Garrett had written the email that told me she'd found someone else, not Penny. I felt a bit smug that his plan had backfired so badly on him, but frustrated that it led to all this confusion in the first place.

I opened the front door for him, locking it behind us as he grabbed his bags and carried them down the steps. The cab driver took both of them from him and tossed them into the trunk as Garrett went to leave. "Wait a second," I called out as I grabbed Garrett's shoulder and he turned around slowly to face me. "You can't leave without me saying a proper goodbye."

The moment my last comment fell from my lips, I balled my fist up tight in my hands, my knuckles turning white before I lifted it eagerly and it connected with the side of his face. My hand ached slightly, but I had to admit, it felt good to get some revenge on this asshole. "Look, now I'm sure you will have a matching pair of black eyes when that bruise sets in. Now stay the fuck away from Bella, and Penny for that matter."

"Fuck you, Cullen. You're that fucking douche she's been talking to online?" Garrett replied angrily as he got into the back of the cab and slammed the door behind him. I just smiled bitterly and shook my head, not giving him the pleasure of actually answering his question. I watched with immense pleasure as the cab drove away, taking with it one of the most annoying and conniving people I had ever met. How the hell sweet, independent Rosalie had that complete douche for a brother was beyond me. I sat down on her stoop and began contemplating staying a bit longer to wait for her, but when I pulled out my cell phone, I noticed I only had 30 minutes to get across the city for my appointment with Charles and Afton.

I ended up hopping on the subway at West 4th St, just east of Washington Square Park and headed uptown to my meeting, which was at Le Parker Meridien Hotel, right near the 57th St. Station. The moment I sat in my seat inside the subway, I began typing out a text message to Bella, hoping I would see her soon.

_B – There was a bit of miscommunication last night. Don't hold it against me. I need to see you. Are you free tomorrow night? –E_

When I hit send, my heart started beating erratically because I wasn't sure if she was going to say yes or no, or even 'go fuck yourself, you coward.' However, I had to take a chance, like I had discussed with Rosalie and Alice, and put myself out there. She had to know I was falling for her.

_E – Name the time and place, I'll be there. – B_

**A/N: And now that you have read this update, why don't you go check out our little Haiti Outtake "The beginning" that is on our profiles under "MIFFY: Bigger, Longer and Uncut." It gives a sneak peek into the start of the online relationship between our PennyLane84 and Paperback_Writer.**


	22. Something

**FLB11: I know you are sitting there going, what the hell? An update a day early? Thank CPW**

**CPW: Yeah, my sister-in-law is currently in labor, she's having a girl named Gabriella, so since I should be at the hospital tomorrow seeing the little bambino, we thought it best not to wait.**

**FLB11: So thank CPW's SIL for getting knocked up nine months ago.**

**CPW: Yeah. Thanks Lucy! **

**FLB11: Onto the story. We don't own Twilight; although I did see Alice in Wonderland tonight and CPW is about to become an aunt for the seventh time.**

**BPOV**

I swished the mouthwash around in my mouth, making sure it erased every trace of that awful taste, before spitting it back into the sink with a sense of finality. I knew it wouldn't be the last time I rinsed my mouth out, though.

I'd eaten a spicy tuna roll from the sushi place not far from the house the night before. Unfortunately for me, it turned out to be bad fish. I mean,_ really bad _fish. I spent the entire night driving the porcelain bus, and it was eleven in the morning and I was still blowing chunks. I was tired, my head hurt from all the heaving, and my throat was beyond irritated.

I stomped my foot like a five year old girl, remembering that I'd had plans with Edward for that night. We were supposed to finally talk and hopefully clear the air between us, but obviously that was no longer happening. I picked up my cell phone and dialed his number to let him know I wouldn't be able to make it.

"Hello?" he answered, sounding distracted.

"Hey… it's me," I said, trying to clear my throat and hide the obvious rough sound that was coming through. This action only cause the burning sensation that was already present to increase, causing me to cough into the receiver. "I can't come out today. I ate some really shitty sushi last night and I've been getting to know the toilet since three this morning," I said regretfully.

"Oh," Edward said and I wasn't sure if it was more nausea or the fact that I was happy he sounded disappointed, but my stomach did flips when he said it. "I'm sorry that you're sick… do you need anything?" he asked, the concern clear in his tone.

"No, I'm alright here. I've got my Listerine, the toilet and a pillow, that's pretty much all I need to survive," I said, trying to laugh and sound like I was joking around. The truth was that I would have loved for him to come over, but I didn't want to subject him to the sight of me vomiting up a storm all day. It was bad enough that I had to be there for it.

"Okay…" Edward said slowly, trailing off as if he wanted to say something else, but instead chose not to. My heart trailed of with his words at the knowledge that I wouldn't be seeing him. "Well, I hope you feel better. I was looking forward to spending time with you… and talking."

"I know. I was too, Edward."

We hung up the phone after our short conversation and I went downstairs, because I was regretfully hungry. I decided on saltine crackers and ginger ale, which Alice had stocked up on for me earlier in the morning before she left for work. I sat down on the couch and watched an episode of The Big Bang Theory that I'd recorded on the DVR. Just as it was ending, there was a knock at the door.

I stood up grudgingly and answered it, nearly gasping at the sight of Edward standing in the doorway with a paper bag and a bouquet of flowers. "What are you…?" I tried asking, but I stopped, opting instead to let him explain.

"I had to make sure you were okay. I brought you some soup," he said, gesturing to the paper bag he had cradled in his arms. "Oh, and I brought you some flowers," he said, thrusting the bouquet towards me in a goofy fashion. Upon closer examination, I could tell that it was a mixed bouquet of pink tulips and blue irises. They were lovely.

"Thank you, Edward. They're gorgeous, I love them," I said, standing on my toes so I could give him a well deserved hug. "But I thought I told you not to come over. I don't want you to have the nasty job of holding my hair back while I puke into next week," I said colorfully. "In fact, forget it. You're not even getting close to the bathroom today."

Edward laughed at my insistence. "Bella, what are friends for? I couldn't let you sit alone all day in an empty house while you're not feeling well. I just want to provide you with some company and take care of you, okay?" he said sweetly. The word 'friends' burned into my mind when he said it and my heart ached.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, fi-" I was cut off by yet another roll of nausea coursing through my entire body. I arched forward and clutched my stomach. "Be right back!" I mumbled as I turned swiftly and sprinted up the stairs to my bathroom.

Just as I was finished, Edward appeared in front of my bathroom door, which I had never gotten the chance to close in my haste to reach the toilet. I groaned in embarrassment at the sight of him standing there and stood up. I smacked my hand against the giant bottle of Listerine for what seemed like the thousandth time, picking it up lazily in frustration. I rinsed my mouth once more before Edward came over to stand next to me.

"You should go lay down. I'll bring your soup up," he said, gently tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. His scent was intoxicating; I didn't want him to move away. I came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to leave, even if I asked him to. I didn't think I really would have asked him, anyway.

"Okay."

Edward walked from the bathroom and I slid into my bed awkwardly, as I anxiously waited for him to come back. When he did, he had a small grin on his face, as if he knew that's what I needed to feel better. I smiled back, amazed at how in sync we were, and not in the cheesy boy band sort of way, but in the way that meant we shouldn't have had to go through what happened the night of the gallery.

I knew what he was going to tell me. With his stupid crooked grin.

He climbed into my bed beside me with the carton of soup, a spoon, and a ginger ale in his hands. "It's chicken noodle, from that Jewish deli down the block," he said softly as I nodded and smiled. Chicken noodle soup was my favorite.

"Thank you," I said, taking the soup from him carefully and tasting it. It was heavenly. "I probably won't be able to keep this down," I said with a mouth full of broth. "But it will be so worth it." Edward laughed as he watched me eat.

"Bella, about the other night," he began, scrunching up his perfect eyebrows, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have walked away. I should have stayed with you."

"I didn't know what to think when you left. I didn't know why."

"I know. It's just… Emmett, god, his stupid ass put some idea in my head about you and Rosalie's brother and I panicked," he said, the frustration seeping from his voice like venom.

"Nothing went on between Garrett and me, Edward. He's actually a really big asshole," I explained, taking a sip of ginger ale and hoping that Edward believed me, and that I wouldn't puke again because this was really tasty soup.

"Yeah, I get that now," he said with a chuckle as I noticed he hadn't taken his eyes off of me while I ate.

"He asks me out every time I see him. It started in college when I first met Rosalie, but it was never a problem until recently. I just want you to know that I don't have any feelings for him. Except maybe the urge to punch him, but I already took care of that the other night," I said with an embarrassed smile.

"You punched him t-… you punched him?" Edward asked, his eyes going a little wide.

"Yeah, I'd already told him to stay away from me that night, and then you were gone. I kind of got fed up." I shrugged my shoulders at the obviousness of my reasoning.

Edward smiled. "How about we just forget about what happened? Start over."

"I like the sound of that," I laughed. "So how was L.A.?" I asked, because we'd never had the chance to talk about what he did while he was away.

"It was good. The wedding was fun, and I'm glad I got to catch up with Riley," he told me, a small smile play at his lips when he talked about his friend. "Did you know that they make hot pink Crocs?"

"What?"

"You know, those stupid rubbery shoes. They make them in bright ass pink."

I rolled my eyes. "I know what Crocs are, Edward. What I don't know is why you are asking me about them when you are supposed to be telling me about your friend's wedding," I said with a giggle. I was frustrated by Edward's tangent, but I had missed the easy banter between us. Even if it had only been two days since we'd really talked.

"Right, sorry. Marcus and Felix, one of the only gay couples I've ever met in my life – which is weird since I live in New York City – anyway, we're at the bar and all of a sudden Felix points out that Marcus wears Crocs. All of us look down at his feet, and sure enough, there is a pair of bright pink Crocs on them. It was kind of fucking funny," Edward explained.

I laughed at his crooked explanation of the whole scenario. "Well, thank you for the anecdote, Mr. Cullen."

"My pleasure," Edward said as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss on the side of my head. We talked a bit more about what we'd done while he was away, but most of it was stuff I already knew since we had talked on the phone so much that week. After one last trip to the bathroom once I had finished eating the soup Edward had gotten me, I hoped I was done for the day. I didn't know how many more rounds of up chucking I could handle.

"Never eating sushi again," I said, plopping my exhausted body down onto the bed where Edward was still laying, his back against the headboard. I rested my head against his side, just below his elbow.

"I've never touched the stuff and it's obviously never made me sick, so I'll boycott with you," Edward said as he draped his arm over my body and pulled me closer to the warmth of his.

"Mmmm. I missed this," I mumbled into Edward's shirt. I wrapped my arms around him and breathed in his sweet scent. Just touching him relaxed me.

"What did you miss, sweet girl?" Edward asked. A moment later I felt the gentle touch of his lips in my hair. My eyes fluttered and I yawned against him.

"This," I said, squeezing him tighter. "Snuggling with you. You're very warm." I yawned again and Edward moved his hand up and down my arm in a soothing motion.

I must have fallen asleep for a little while, because the next thing I knew, I heard the roaring sounds of Alice coming from downstairs. I peeked up at Edward, who had his head slumped over his shoulder. I smiled at the thought of us falling asleep together, because for some reason that made me happy.

I leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Alice is home," I whispered into his ear. His eyes flickered to life as he woke up and I kissed his nose as he stirred. He groaned, I assumed from his uncomfortable position.

"I'll be right back. I need to use the bathroom," Edward mumbled. He kissed my cheek and slid out of the bed. Two seconds later, Alice came through my bedroom door.

"How do you feel about having a movie night? It's all nasty outside and it looks like it's going to rain. Rosalie suggested we invite Edward, since Jasper and Emmett are already here. Are you feeling up to it?" she asked. I stretched out on the bed, waking myself up a little more.

"Yes, Alice that sounds like fun, but Edward is already here. He came by earlier with soup."

"And flowers, I gather. I take it you two made up?" Alice snickered. I felt the heat in my face as I nodded. "Okay, well Rose and I are going to fix up some snacks, so you two can come down whenever you're ready," she said, looking a lot more cheerful than she should have at the prospect of a movie night.

Alice bounced out of the room and Edward came back a minute later. "What did I miss?" he asked.

"Movie night. Everyone's here. Wanna go downstairs?" Edward nodded and I sat up, maybe a little too fast. I felt the dizziness and hoped that it wasn't another wave of nausea creeping up on me. I put my hand on my head and shook it gently.

"Whoa there. Are you okay, baby?" he asked as he came to sit next to me on the bed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I just sat up too fast."

"It's probably from the nap, too. I'll help you down the stairs, okay?" he asked, brushing a wayward hair from my face. I nodded and Edward helped me up from the bed.

**EPOV**

"Come on douche, we're waiting for you," called out Emmett from the living room as I wrapped my arm under Bella's and helped her down the stairs. I would have carried her, but something was telling me that she would have completely shot me down if I had asked, and Alice and Rosalie would have been at the bottom of the stairs bouncing like rabbits on crack, and I really needed to stick to my plan if I was going to win over Bella.

I had been a little upset when I discovered Bella was sick and my plan to spend the day with her, walking around the city was effectively ruined, but I decided this was one of those 'make something out of nothing' sort of situations, so I hit the local Jewish deli and grabbed her a large container of chicken noodle soup. I knew that my showing up unexpectedly probably wasn't what she wanted to happen, but I couldn't just sit around knowing she was sick and do nothing. Plus, I couldn't show up at the door of the girl I was in love with without flowers right? So I grabbed some at the florist a few blocks from her brownstone and was elated when Bella admitted she loved them.

"Cut us some slack, I am helping a fragile woman here," I declared as Emmett noticed me bringing Bella with me into the living room and I quickly glanced to see that the couch was empty.

"Hold the phone, are those s'mores on your pajamas?" asked Emmett, his voice booming loudly around the room.

"Yeah, do you have a problem with them?" questioned Bella, her voice soft from sleep and slightly harsh from being so sick all night. I helped Bella sit down and then grabbed a quilt from the back of the couch, draping it over her body as she proceeded to get comfortable.

"Oh my god, you are such a girl, Cullen," Emmett declared as Rosalie walked in with two big bowls of popcorn followed by Alice and Jasper who had beers for everyone, and a ginger ale for Bella. "Nope, no problem with the pajamas, except they make me kinda hungry for chocolate and graham crackers. Ooh popcorn, thanks baby," said Emmett excitedly as he reached his hand in and grabbed a huge handful of popcorn.

"Are you telling me that if Rosalie was sick you wouldn't be waiting on her?" I questioned, as I quickly noticed the error of my ways. Rosalie and Emmett were actually dating, whereas Bella and I were kinda in limbo. We hadn't declared anything to each other yet, nor had we decided what we were. We were just friends as far as I was concerned right now, but if things panned out the way I had planned, then she would be my girlfriend sooner rather than later.

"That's the difference between you and me man, this is my girl, I'd pull down the moon for her if she asked me," he stated firmly as I looked at Bella and she had a static expression on her face. I wanted more than anything to refer to her as my girl, but I couldn't do it. I knew Emmett was baiting me, trying to get me to admit something about Bella and me, but I couldn't do it. "Would you be giving me this attention if I was sick?"

The room grew silent as Jasper put the DVD in and all eyes were on me. "Actually, Emmett if it was you, we wouldn't have left your bedroom," I joked with a wink and a lick of my lips in his direction as everyone burst out laughing and he just rolled his eyes in embarrassment. I was relieved when the beginning of 'Inglorious Basterds' came on the screen, and I sat down on the couch beside Bella. She had her feet in my lap as the laughter died down and we watched the movie in relative peace.

Bella was quiet throughout the entire movie, never commenting or laughing when the rest of us did, but she stayed awake for all of it. We started out with me rubbing her feet sweetly, but about ten minutes into the movie, she got up to go to the bathroom and came back to rest on the couch with her head in my lap. I stroked her hair softly and hoped I was being supportive and tender, because right then was not a time for me to be getting excited, even though several times when she repositioned herself, I would get a glimpse down her shirt.

"I could have done that Pitt film," Emmett stated when the movie was finally over and Jasper looked at him incredulously.

"You wanted to do his role, jackass," Jasper retorted with a snort and a laugh as Alice and Rosalie began cleaning up the mess in the living room and headed towards the kitchen with the empty bottles and popcorn bowls. "So, are we up for another flick? It's started to rain so it's not like any of us are in a hurry to go out, right?"

I looked down at Bella and she just nodded her head softly. "Bella and I are in if you guys are." I felt a smile cross my face as I realized just how much I liked referring to us as though we were already a couple. I leaned down and kissed her temple lightly before whispering into her ear. "Can you lift up a bit, babe? I need to go to the bathroom."

Bella slowly lifted her head from my lap and I slipped a pillow under her head before standing up completely. "Do you want me to get anything while I'm up?"

"No, just hurry back. Your lap was really comfortable," she said with a tiny smile as I nodded my head and practically sprinted upstairs to use her bathroom. It was kind of ironic that she was so comfortable laying on my lap, but that also meant my lap was uncomfortable because of my straining cock. This girl was sick and I couldn't help but get aroused around her. What the hell was wrong with me?

When I finished, I washed my hands and headed downstairs into the kitchen to grab another beer, only to be cornered by Rosalie and Alice, who looked at me expectantly. "Did you tell her?" asked Alice anxiously as she rested her hands on her hips and tapped her foot against the tile floor.

"Not exactly. I was going to do it today as we walked around Central Park. I even had a vision of telling her when we got to 'Strawberry Fields' and shit. It worked out perfectly in my mind, but then the girl had to go and get sick. I refuse to do it now. I want it to be memorable," I replied as I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and twisted the top off easily, throwing it into their garbage can.

"Oh, and you don't think it would be memorable if you told her while holding her hair and she yakked into the toilet after eating that shitass sushi?" questioned Rosalie as I simply rolled my eyes.

"Not exactly the vibe I was going for, but thanks. I thought you girls told me in the coffee shop to woo her, romance her, seduce her," I said firmly as they looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

"I think we're just getting impatient now," added Alice as she grabbed a box of chocolate chip cookies from the cupboard and offered me one, which I declined.

"It's been two days," I said, my voice high with exasperation. "Just give me a few more days. I can't just romance her on the fly, this is shit that needs to be planned and executed to perfection. I refuse to scare her away, again."

"Alright. Now, observe the art of seduction, Edward. Watch, learn and don't eat my cookie," she said with all seriousness as she rested the cookie on the counter and strolled over to Jasper, who was going through the DVD collection with Emmett. Rosalie and I watched intently as she whispered something in his ear and ran her finger slowly down his chest before sucking in into her mouth as he watched her every move with rapt fascination.

"We'll be back in a few… pick out a movie," stated Jasper roughly as he grabbed Alice by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder before running up the stairs.

"That was hardly seduction," explained Rosalie as she washed out the popcorn bowls in the sink and proceeded to make a pan of Nachos, which excited Emmett to no end. I had no room for more food after the snacks we had just ate, but Emmett was raring to go for round two, three and four. "She didn't take any time. A true act of seduction involves going slowly, assessing the reaction of the person who you are trying to seduce and then jumping in with both feet. Appreciate her, tease her and worship her. That's seduction."

"Thanks Rosalie, that might actually help more than Alice's advice," I laughed as Rosalie smiled gently at me.

"I may play the sarcastic bitch most of the time, but I am more than a pretty blonde girl with an ass that won't quit," she stated with a laugh as Emmett wandered over and grabbed a handful of said ass before turning her around, as he pressed his lips against hers and then they started mauling each other. It was actually kind of painful to watch.

I ignored the scene playing out in front of me and wandered back to the couch with my beer, to find Bella wide awake and lying in the same spot. I lifted her head up slightly and pulled away the pillow before sitting down and helping her get comfortable again. "You were gone."

"Sorry baby, it was just for a few minutes," I said apologetically as I stroked her hair softly, pushing it behind her ear as I leaned down and kissed her temple again. "Rosalie and Alice cornered me in the kitchen. It's probably gonna be a few more minutes till we start the movie. Did the guys pick something good?"

"Ron Burgundy, I think," she said with a yawn as her hand moved to wrap around my legs and I felt her pull me closer to her as she turned onto her side, facing me and away from the TV. We sat comfortably for what seemed like ages as the DVD menu for the movie played in the background. "I'm pretty tired. I think I'm gonna go lay down in my bed."

"Oh," I said, my voice clearly laced with sadness. "Yeah, you should rest. Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Can you come snuggle with me? I don't want you to go," she said sweetly as she sat up slowly, clutching the quilt tightly around her. I looked at her with trepidation, but she simply gripped my hand tightly in hers as we stood up together. We looked into the kitchen where Emmett was salivating over the nachos Rosalie was pulling from the oven.

"We're going to lie down. Bella's not feeling up to another movie," I said as Bella and I moved to the staircase and Rosalie winked at me, Emmett just smiling smugly. Alice and Jasper traipsed down the stairs looking extremely happy and a little out of breath.

"Okay. Have fun," declared Jasper as he patted me on the shoulder and Bella and I began ascending the stairs.

"Take care of our girl," Alice said with a grin as I shook my head at her. "If you don't come down anytime soon, we'll come up and check on you before dinner."

"Thanks," Bella and I both said quietly as we continued on our way. When we got into the room, Bella climbed under her covers as I went and closed the blinds, hoping that the added darkness would help her rest.

"Do you want anything else?" I asked as I watched her get comfortable and found myself excited about climbing into bed with her, hopefully to make her feel better.

"Can you put on my iPod?" she questioned as she motioned with her hand to the top of the messiest desk I had ever seen in my life. I found it buried under a pile of papers, one of which was an invoice for one of her paintings that was sold at the gallery showing a few days ago. I looked around the room and noticed her iHome on her nightstand, so I plugged it in and climbed into bed beside her. I curled my body around hers as she held on tightly to me, as though she was worried I would leave.

I let out a small snort as 'Something' by the Beatles began playing softly, and I held Bella closer to me as the lyrics filled the room.

_Something in the way she moves  
Attracts me like no other lover  
Something in the way she woos me_

I don't want to leave her now  
You know I believe her now

**A/N: Oh and a super big thanks to our amazing beta, MaggieMay14, who did a super quick turnaround job on this chapter and continues to amaze us. Thanks Maggie!**


	23. Baby It's You

**CPW: Hola!**

**FLB11: Stop pretending you're Spanish**

**CPW: Si Senorita.**

**FLB11: Sorry for being slack on the update last Sunday. I sorta got overwhelmed with mid-terms and shit. Then I went to see the Islanders kick the Maple Leafs ass on Sunday. Take that CPW.**

**CPW: I may live near Toronto, but I'm a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan. So I'm glad the Leafs lost. They suck anyways.**

**FLB11: Oh well, that was all the exciting news I had.**

**CPW: This chapter is exciting… and a long time coming.**

**FLB11: Shut your pie hole Whore. Just let them read the damn chapter.**

**CPW: Fine. We don't own Twilight; however we are both big fans of the band Heart *hint hint***

**FLB11: (smacks CPW hard on the back of the head) You're such a bitch.**

**CPW: You love me. Oh… and go vote in the indies. My collaborator Flightlessbird11 is up for best completed all human or some shit like that. theindietwificawards (dot) com minus the brackets of course.**

**BPOV**

I opened my eyes to the faint sunlight peeking through the shades of my bedroom window. I adjusted my head so I could see the clock, because I had no idea what time it was. The last thing I remembered was not being able to stay downstairs for another movie, and curling up in bed with….

_Edward._

His warm arm tightened around my waist as I moved to see the clock. However, time was forgotten as I turned my body to face him and I was met with his vibrant green eyes and gentle smile.

"Hey," he said softly. His voice wasn't heavy with sleep, and he didn't look that tired at all. "You're awake."

"What time is it? I thought Alice was supposed to wake us up for dinner," I said, confused because it was clearly morning, and I definitely did not eat dinner last night. Not unless Edward somehow managed to feed me in my sleep.

Edward shrugged, jostling the sheets. "It's just after eight. I guess Alice never showed because I woke up about an hour ago, and I didn't want to move and disturb you."

"You're sweet," I said honestly, taking his index finger between mine and toying with it.

"Do you feel better?" he asked, a tiny, worried crease appearing in between his eyebrows. I studied them distractedly for a moment, and noticed how messy they were. I mean, under no circumstances could they be considered a unibrow or anything, but they had the same disarray as the hair on his head.

_Really, Bella? His eyebrows? You've got it bad._

"Well, I didn't wake up in the middle of the night to toss my cookies, so I take that as a positive sign," I said with a small laugh. Edward kissed the tip of my nose in silent celebration of the fact that it looked like I would have a shot at visiting with the outside world today.

"A very good sign," he said. "You know what else this means, don't you?"

"No, what?"

"You're fair game."

"Huh?" I replied in confusion because I wasn't following whatever the hell he was talking about, obviously.

Edward's face twisted with a devilish smile as his hands moved down and started tickling my pajama-clad stomach. "Oh my god! Edward… stop! Stop!" I yelled between bouts of laughter.

"Not a chance!" His fingers were moving frantically, and I couldn't catch them to make the delicious torture stop. I tried twisting around him, flat onto my back, but he moved with me. He was hovering over me and we were both laughing together, however I couldn't really breathe.

"Edward! I can't… I can't breathe," I choked out between giggles. I began kicking crazily, my limbs flailing all over the place. "Please," I said breathlessly. His eyes met mine and his smile shifted, changing from mischievous to sweet. His hands stopped their moving finally and he bent down to kiss my forehead.

"Well, I couldn't very well ignore you once you said 'please,'" he muttered. I caught my breath from both the laughing I'd done, as well as from the intensity of Edward's touch. The man did crazy things to my body.

"Hmm, I'll have to remember that," I said with a small wink. I wasn't sure if he caught it.

"I don't want to go," he mumbled into my hair.

"Go?" Edward hadn't mentioned having anywhere to go today, so I was a little crestfallen to hear him say that he would be leaving.

"I have a meeting with clients in two hours. Do you maybe wanna join me at Common Grounds before I have to meet with them?" he asked, his voice laced with hope. I smiled at the notion that he didn't want to be apart from me any more than I wanted the warmth of his body to leave my bed. He was very comfy.

"Well I don't want you to go, either," I said, squeezing him tighter. "And of course I want to have coffee with you. It feels like forever since we've gone."

"Agreed," he said, smiling and kissing the tip of my nose again. I was beginning to become very fond of that particular display of affection. I wanted him to kiss me on the mouth, because even though we'd clearly gotten over what happened at the gallery, it had also very obviously altered our relationship. I wanted to get back to where we had been before, but I also wanted us to be more than that, but I didn't want to push it – mostly because the idea of 'more' scared me.

Edward and I eventually got out of bed and ambled over to Common Grounds, where we both ordered our usual drinks. Edward seemed to share several knowing looks with Margaret, which confused me a little at first, because I'd never really noticed them interacting before, although I knew they were friendly – all three of us were. She'd been my own personal 'acting confidant' sometimes when I came here, so I supposed she did the same for Edward. I couldn't help myself when I realized that that thought bothered me a little. I wanted to be the one he came to when something was bothering him.

The hot liquid slid easily down my throat; the combination of that and seeing Edward sitting across from me almost made it seem like this was a dream. I licked the extra foam off my lips and noticed Edward's eyes darken slightly as he watched me drink my latte.

Yep, I was in heaven.

"God, that's good," I said after a moment of easy silence.

"Really? I didn't think you were enjoying that at all," Edward laughed.

"Hey, leave me and my extra foamy latte alone. This is the first thing I've eaten or drank in over 24 hours that I'm not completely terrified of seeing again." Edward burst into laughter at my not so subtle comment and we continued talking and drinking our coffee.

Eventually he had to go meet his clients and my stomach became knotted because I didn't want him to go. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asked, making sure I knew it was a question. He was being cautious too, not wanting to floor it. Edward usually put the pedal to the metal, and I hated that I was slowing him down; slowing us down.

"Of course," I said with a half smile as I watched him stand up. He looked at me for a moment before leaning down and kissing me on the cheek. The stubble that was there brushed lightly against my face as his warm lips caressed my skin. I had to ball my hands into fists to stop myself from putting my hands on his shoulders and keeping him there, or wrapping them around his waist and holding on for dear life.

When he walked out of the coffee shop, I sighed, and remained seated at our little table until all the foam popped off the top of my latte. I didn't really feel like drinking it anymore.

When I walked back into the brownstone, Alice and Rose were in the living room discussing plans for Jasper's birthday. I didn't even know it was coming up, but then again, I had been a little wrapped up in my own personal… whatever. I plopped myself down next to Rose and listened to what they were saying.

"Ooh, now that's an idea. We could totally kick their asses in that," Rose said in reference to something I'd obviously missed.

"Right? Plus it will bring the three of us all the way back to Princeton 2005 when we used to do this all the time," Alice chimed I with an evil little smirk on her face.

"What are we talking about?" I asked as I twiddled my thumbs in mock anticipation of what they were planning. It was obvious they were talking about the guys, but they were being so vague, I couldn't help but be curious. After all, we got into a lot of weird situations at Princeton; it could literally have been anything.

"We're going to go out and karaoke for Jasper's birthday tomorrow night," Alice said. A smile played on my lips as I understood what they had been talking about. The three of us used to do karaoke all the time in college. Looking back it was actually a little embarrassing how much we enjoyed it, but I'd never take back the memories, because some of our best times as a threesome had occurred in karaoke bars.

"Ooh. They are so going down," I laughed excitedly. "Do the guys know about this yet?" They both shook their heads in the negative, so I pulled out my phone to text Edward.

_Karaoke tomorrow night. You better put your game face on – B_

I didn't expect a reply right away since I knew he was with clients, so I tucked the phone back into my pocket and the three of us continued our conversation.

"So how are things with Edward?" Alice asked, an eager look on her face. She looked like a puppy that was about to get a treat for doing a cool trick or something.

"They're good, I guess. I mean, we're both over what happened the other night at the gallery with Garrett, but things still aren't the same as before."

"Have you told him about your Paperback Writer?" Rose asked.

"No, I still haven't told him about P…" My eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. "Wait, you remember his name? I didn't think you two paid that much attention."

Alice's eyes went a little wide at my statement, but Rose spoke up before I had the chance to ask Alice what was wrong. "Of course we remember his name, Bella. You're our best friend. Plus, I remembered his name. This one," she continued, nodding her head to Alice, "probably can't remember his name for shit." We all laughed at her blunt comment because we all knew it was true.

"I don't know how to bring it up again, or even if it was really a good idea in the first place. I mean, yeah I had feelings for PBW… and maybe I still kinda do, but I think…" I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There was no 'thinking' about this. I knew it. "I want to be with Edward." The two biggest smiles were staring back at me when my eyes opened.

"Oh, thank god. I was hoping you'd go with the tangible option," Alice said, the relief clear in her voice. I was beginning to worry that there was some secret bet going on behind my back and that those two clowns had money on Edward or something.

"I just never got any closure with PBW, you know?"

"You know what, Bella? If that guy can't man up and face you, then he isn't worth thinking about for another second," Rosalie said, putting her hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture.

I nodded my head in agreement. I knew they were right, but I just couldn't help but wonder what happened or why he never came back. Before I had a chance to contemplate it any further my phone buzzed after a moment of silence.

_Oh it's on, baby ;) – E_

If I had any doubt before that the universe was pointing me towards Edward, then it had all disappeared in that moment. I smiled and shut my phone, ignoring the knowing smiles that Alice and Rose were shooting at me as I got up from the couch.

Late the next morning, Edward had sent me a text message, asking if I wanted to meet him for coffee again down at Common Grounds. I was waiting for him to arrive while sipping on my latte and people watching. There was an older couple there, drinking coffee and sharing a newspaper, and it was easy to tell that they were happy just by the way they sat together. I began to think of the possibility of Edward and me at that age. Did I want that with him?

"Hey stranger," a silky voice interrupted. I looked up and saw Edward walking up to our table and sitting down. "Sorry I'm late."

"Hey, it's no big deal. Go order before the rush comes in." Edward got up and ordered, and I continued watching the couple in front of me. When he sat back down, I couldn't help the question that bubbled up from my lips. "Do you think that people can stay happy together for their whole lives?"

"What?" He looked confused, but I didn't elaborate, I just stared at him and bit my lip. "I mean, yeah. My parents are celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary soon, and they're the happiest people I know."

I waited a moment before responding, trying to not look more like an idiot than I already had. "And people can evolve together, don't you think? I mean, your parents still love each other, even though they've both probably changed in all the years they've been together?" I'd never had an example of that kind of happiness in my life and I had to know if it existed.

"Maybe. I don't think it happens all the time, but my parents are definitely living proof that it does happen," he said with a shrug.

I smiled when I thought of my response. "Yoko and John Lennon did. They just got closer and closer as the years went by. At the end, they had the same face," I said with a small giggle.

"Yeah, it got a little spooky," Edward replied, his expression not even one of surprise. The fact that he seemed to know me so well made me laugh a little harder.

"But cool," I amended. Edward nodded his head in agreement and I looked up to where the old couple was sitting, but they were gone.

We talked for a while more, but nothing as serious as the first topic. Before we knew it, we'd been sitting in the coffee shop for two hours, and I had to leave so I could put some finishing touches on a sketch I had been working on and then get ready for karaoke. Edward walked out with me and we said goodbye on the side of the building.

"I'll see you later," he said, leaning down and kissing me, but this time it wasn't on the cheek. It was a chaste kiss on my mouth. My lips welcomed his, urging him to continue. He pulled back after a moment looking at me with wide eyes, and I understood that he hadn't even realized what he'd done.

"Yeah, later."

**EPOV**

I was nervous. I mean like, my palms were sweating uncontrollably because I was so damned nervous. I had spoken to Alice earlier in the night because she had used Bella's cell phone to call me while Bella was in the shower. She was pushy as all hell, with Rosalie cheering her on in the background, but I understood where she was coming from and appreciated her candor.

"Edward. You have to tell her tonight, alright? It's eating her up inside that she has feelings for you and this writer character of yours and if you don't do it soon, she may not take the news well," explained Alice as I stood in my closet trying to decide what the hell to wear. Nothing seemed appropriate for the day you were hoping to tell the girl you were in love with that you had been conversing online with her unknowingly for months. God, this was fucked up.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you saying anything?" Alice asked in frustration as I stood there with one hand on the doorjamb of my closet and the other on the phone.

"Sorry, distracted by the plethora of t-shirts in my closet," I lied as Alice chuckled on the other end of the phone and mumbled something about how I didn't know the true meaning of plethora until I had seen Rosalie's shoe collection.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Yeah, yeah. Stop hassling me. I've been trying to find the right way to do it for days now, Alice. This isn't something you can rush."

"Well the longer you take, the more upset she'll be. Take the bull by the horns and just tell her. When she walks into the bar tonight, grab her, kiss her and then say 'Hi, My name is Edward but you may know me from our interesting online chats. I'm your Paper bag Writer.'"

"Paperback."

"Yeah, whatever. Just tell her."

"If I promise to tell her, will you shut the hell up?"

"Yup."

Thankfully Alice hung up a few moments later and I continued to stare into the closet, as though it held the answers to all my questions. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a white button down shirt and tossed them onto my bed before hopping into the shower, my nerves continuing to plague me even as I walked into the Karaoke bar over an hour later.

Emmett and Jasper were already sitting at a table, holding a piece of paper in their hands which was undoubtedly a song list, and sipping on beers.

"Evening, boys. Happy Birthday, Jazz," I said with a grin as I took a chair beside Emmett and sat down comfortably. The waitress came over a moment later and I quickly ordered myself a double shot of jack and coke, deciding I needed a little extra courage. Beer wasn't going to be enough to get me through this night.

"You look like shit, man. What's wrong?" asked Jasper intuitively and I shook my head quickly, wondering how he immediately knew something was wrong.

"I'm nervous about getting up on stage," I lied deftly, knowing full well that I was just nervous about talking to Bella. I didn't want to lose her, but I needed to take this chance otherwise we were basically floating in limbo. "Do I sing 'Copacabana' or 'Achy Breaky Heart'? I've been undecided all damn day."

"Sure you are, Edward. Has anyone ever told you to picture the audience in their underwear? Well, don't do it. I did it once and I had nightmares for a week. Germans in Speedos." I laughed as Emmett began to shudder involuntarily and decided to leave his anecdote alone. I really didn't want to go into detail with this one.

"Anyways," Jazz interrupted as I smiled at him gratefully. "I somehow don't think you're worried about song choices tonight. So are you going to tell us what is up?" I opened my mouth and was about to speak when I felt Emmett's hand slap my shoulder and he pointed towards the door where Rosalie, Alice and Bella were all strolling into the club. All eyes were on them as they strutted in, oozing confidence, until Bella reached up to move her hair behind her ear and ended up smacking a waitress who then dropped a tray of shots.

I felt remorseful, watching her bend down and try to help the waitress pick up the broken glass, but Bella just seemed to make things worse. It wasn't helping my situation as I watched her carefully, her ass hugged tightly by her jeans and making her look even more gorgeous than usual. When Bella finally stood up, she acted like nothing had happened and continued walking towards us.

"Happy Birthday, Jazzy," Bella said with a gentle hug that Jasper greedily accepted. Bella then moved to stand at my side and I resisted the urge to wrap my arm around her waist and claim her as mine, even though I already felt like she was.

"Good Evening, Bella," I declared gently as Bella ran her hand slowly down my chest and my entire body shivered. This was a good sign, right?

"Edward," she replied with a grin. "Are you ready to dazzle me with your abilities?"

"I thought I had already done that… several times over," I replied in a whisper as she blinked at me repeatedly, shocked by how bold I was being in the company of our friends. "By the way, those jeans are really working for you. They're working for me, too. That's all I can do right now. People are watching. But soon I hope to give you my extremely positive views on other aspects of your being."

I was staring at Bella for what seemed like ages, though it was probably only seconds before Rosalie ordered a round of shots, slippery nipples, for our group as her and Alice began chatting loudly about song selections for the night. It seems that the girls were old pros at Karaoke, and had done it more than what was considered normal back in their days at Princeton. Jasper had dragged us twice in the past, to impress a girl he was seeing at the time, which reminded me completely of this entire situation. I was sure Alice had convinced him to come tonight and that this was not Jasper's idea.

In the first hour at the bar, Alice and Rosalie had gotten on stage once each, with Alice belting out 'Please Don't Go Girl' by New Kids on the Block to Bella in a high pitched squeal and even Jasper had to drink more booze to handle it. After he finished his second beer, Emmett took to the stage and broke into a rather insane version of 'To All the Girls I've Loved Before', which brought the house down, literally. Everyone was laughing hysterically at his wild antics and unfortunately for us, it emboldened Emmett because the moment he sat down, he picked several more songs he couldn't wait to sing.

Bella was just walking back from the bathroom when I cornered her, hoping to talk a little more privately about our situation, but Alice had different ideas. "Bella… how the hell did you get dog hair on your jeans?" she slurred drunkenly as both Bella and my eyes grew wide. Bella hadn't mentioned to me that she walked the dogs, but I knew she did because I saw her and I knew damn well that Penny walked them. Bella looked up at me and I decided it was best to play dumb.

"You don't have a dog, do you?"

"Uh… not really. I um… I dog walk every now and then for some extra cash and fresh air. I do it around Washington Square Park, since most of my customers live in the area. It's fun I guess, and helped me to buy art supplies when I was a bit more of a starving artist," she replied awkwardly as her hands moved swiftly over the denim of her jeans and she tried to remove all traces of the dogs.

"Pugs shed?" I questioned dumbly as I rolled my eyes at my slip up. I wasn't supposed to know what kind of dogs Bella walked, because she just fucking told me thirty seconds ago.

"How did you know I walked a pug?"

"Umm… I've seen like fifty different pugs in our neighborhood. I was going with a process of elimination," I said off the top of my head as Bella nodded slowly and I breathed a sigh of relief. This was not going at all like I planned.

"They may not look like it, but yeah, pugs shed like crazy. The owner of Shady, the chubby pug that I walk, brushes and grooms him frequently, but you would be surprised by how much they shed," said Bella with all seriousness as I held back the laugh I was holding. Could tonight get any more confusing? Little did I know that Emmett was just as drunk now and his mouth was twice as big as Alice's.

"You walk dogs?" he asked with a wide grin as he draped his arm over my shoulder. "We always used to joke with Edward that he was going to turn into the cat man of New York City because he used to be picky about women." I rolled my eyes as I elbowed Emmett in the stomach, but he was relentless. "Some chick that had a parrot used to try and ask him out when he first moved out on his own. Apparently, you were meant to have a pet, Edward."

"Shut up," I whispered through clenched teeth as Bella looked at me anxiously, no doubt starting to make some sort of realization about us. The downfall was that I didn't want her to know yet. I wanted to tell her and explain how I realized it was her, and hopefully she would be glad that she was my Penny Lane. I didn't want Emmett's inability to shut his mouth to be my downfall.

My saving grace was that a moment later, Rosalie, sensing that things were going to go downhill, grabbed Alice and Bella to take them onto stage to sing as Jasper and Emmett stared literally slack jawed at them. They broke into a very loud and suggestive version of Rod Stewart's 'If You Want My Body' and my resolve to talk to Bella about our chat personas became stronger because now I desperately wanted to take her home with me; preferably sooner rather than later.

When they were done with their song, Alice and Bella floated towards the bar for another drink as Rosalie came over to me. She was clearly a woman on a mission. "You have to tell her now."

"Tell her what?" questioned Emmett as I opened my mouth to speak but Rosalie beat me to the punch.

"Edward here has been unwittingly talking to Bella online for months, and recently realized they were one in the same," Rosalie explained happily as Emmett and Jasper both looked at me intently. I think they were happy for me as well as a little pissed off that I hadn't talked to them about it. Then again, I hadn't really wanted to talk to Rosalie and Alice about it either, but sometimes these things just happened.

"She doesn't know?" Em questioned as he rubbed his hands together maniacally.

"Nope, but now everyone else knows. So she'll be pissed for being left in the dark."

"No she won't be. Bella picked our song, saying it was just for you, Edward. She may be a little tipsy, but I promise that she will be happy about this turn of events," Rosalie declared as Alice and Bella joined our little group.

"What are we talking about?" asked Bella as her eyes darted between all of us at the table and Rosalie pounced on the awkward silence that followed.

"We are toasting Jasper. Right, Jazzy?" Rosalie said with a wink as Jasper just nodded his head in confusion. "Happy Birthday Jasper. I may not know you that well, but my girl Alice here says you have magic fingers, so here's to another great year of Alice benefiting from said fingers." I shook my head and closed my eyes as laughter surrounded us and everyone held up their drinks to toast to Jasper.

"You know what I want for my birthday?" said Jasper with a sly grin as he looked between me and Bella, and I knew immediately that this wasn't going to be good.

"A slapchop?" questioned Emmett with all seriousness as we all looked at him as though he just stepped off the short bus. "What? That lovely woman in Edward's apartment building was extolling the virtues of them to me in the elevator the other week. She's full of wisdom."

"You mean Mrs. Petrone?" I questioned as Em nodded his head. "By the way, have you ever noticed that when you get drunk your vocabulary gets better? When have you ever used the term 'extolling the virtues'?" Emmett shrugged his shoulders indifferently and took another shot.

"By the end of the night, I'm going to be Walter fucking Cronkite then."

"Yeah, not likely," Alice chimed in. "So what did you want for your birthday, Jazzy?"

"I want Edward and Bella to sing my favorite song in the entire world, together." Jasper's eyes were narrowed and trained on me as a smug smile grew across his face. This wasn't good. He was trying to be a friend to me, but was putting us together before I was ready to do this. Jasper was throwing me to the wolves and was taking great pleasure in it. I would kill him later if this went as badly as I thought it would.

"'It's Raining Men' by the Weathergirls?" asked Emmett as we all broke out into another round of laughter.

"Shut it, McCarty. No… I was thinking of a little Heart. Who doesn't like Heart, right?" Before I had a chance to beat the shit out of Jasper, he was grabbing both me and Bella by the hand and pulling us onto the empty stage. "I'll tell the DJ what song you will be singing, so just stay put."

"I'm sorry about this," I mumbled to Bella as she took my hand in hers, entwining our fingers.

"It's nothing, Edward… really. Let's just sing Jasper's song and then find a way to get away from these drunken hooligans." I smiled genuinely at her until the first chords of 'Alone' by Heart started through the speakers. I glanced down at the small screen which held the words, but was shocked that Bella didn't need the screen as she began singing to me.

_I hear the ticking of the clock  
I'm lying here the room's pitch dark  
I wonder where you are tonight  
No answer on the telephone  
And the night goes by so very slow  
Oh I hope that it won't end though  
Alone_

Till now I always got by on my own  
I never really cared until I met you  
And now it chills me to the bone  
How do I get you alone  
How do I get you alone

I opened my closed eyes and focused on Bella in front of me as I broke into the next verse, singing like my life depended on it. My hand was squeezing hers tightly, because I didn't want to let her go.

_You don't know how long I have wanted  
to touch your lips and hold you tight  
You don't know how long I have waited  
and I was going to tell you tonight  
But the secret is still my own  
and my love for you is still unknown  
Alone_

My heart literally began to sink as Bella watched me sing, her eyes reading my every expression and word, which were meant only for her. She stood still, her eyes darting over to the table where our friends sat, before she looked back towards me. "How did you…?" she muttered as her free hand then ran over her face in frustration. "You're not…?"

"I'm not what?" I whispered quietly during the guitar solo as Bella eyes filled with tears and she pulled her hand from mine. I could tell by the look on her face that she was putting two and two together, as she shook her head from side to side in disbelief.

"You're him…" she stammered as the tears fell more freely and I couldn't tell if she was relieved or if she hated my guts. I tentatively reached up hand up and with the back of my fingers swept the tears from her cheeks.

"Don't cry, Penny Lane."

**A/N: You know what to do. Hit the little green button and just maybe you'll get us back to our weekly Sunday updating schedule.**


	24. PS I Love You

**FLB11: Hey look a Sunday update.**

**CPW: Don't expect it next week though. I'm dragging the hubs and kidlet to Niagara Falls for a night to relax.**

**FLB11: Lucky Bitch.**

**CPW: Not really. Did you miss the part where I said I was going with the husband and kidlet?**

**FLB11: Ok, so my envy is gone. Voting for the Indie TwiFic Awards ends on Wednesday by the way.**

**CPW: I know she's too shy to say anything, but my girl Flightlessbird11 was nominated for "Best All Human Story That Knocks You Off Your Feet" for her first story, Someone to Watch Over Me, so go vote. Can I promise a hardcore MIFFY smuttake if you do win? I'm thinking blindfolds, skanky lingerie… all sorts of dirty things.**

**FLB11: I don't think so Whore.**

**CPW: Meh, it's worth a shot. Now go vote at theindietwificawards (dot) com and then read this chapter. Oh, and if we haven't mentioned it lately, we love MaggieMay14 for beta'ing this beast.**

**FLB11: Anywhoo, we don't own Twilight; but we do own the Beatles. Oh wait, we don't own them either. That's Michael Jackson's mom. **

**~*~*~*~**

**It is a risk to love. What if it doesn't work out? Ah, but what if it does. - Peter McWilliams**

**BPOV**

_You don't know how long I have wanted  
to touch your lips and hold you tight  
You don't know how long I have waited  
and I was going to tell you tonight  
But the secret is still my own  
and my love for you is still unknown  
Alone_

The green eyes that I saw looking back at me were trying to tell me something. They had a fire in them that I'd never seen before, and I don't think I'd ever recalled a time where they were more beautiful than they were in that moment. The fierceness behind Edward's gaze was so intense, and as the song we were singing and the crowd started to fade around us, my memory took on a life of its own.

"_Pugs shed?"_

"How did you…?" I stammered, moving my hand over my face and trying to wrack my brain for some sort of answers as to how Edward knew that. I couldn't think of a moment where I had told Edward that I had a job walking some of the dogs in the neighborhood. In fact, the only person I knew of who I'd told I walked the dogs was…. "You're not…?"

_Paperback_Writer: No. I have 87 cats actually. I'm the cat man of New York City._

"I'm not what?" Edward asked, the guitar solo nearly masking his words as my mind continued reeling. As the moments of the night and the past few months of my life flashed before my eyes, I recalled Emmett's words from a few minutes earlier.

"_We always used to joke with Edward that he was going to turn into the cat man of New York City…" _

This couldn't be possible. There was no way that the situation I was conjuring up in my head could exist; it only happened in the movies, right? Girl meets boy on online and then meets another boy in real life. She likes both boys and it turns out that both boys are the same guy. I shook my head, trying to see if maybe I was dreaming. I may have even reached down and pinched my forearm, but nothing happened, except for a sharp pain coursing through me since I pinched myself so hard. I was on my way to believing that I could be happy with Edward, but this just seemed unfathomable? He couldn't be my Paperback_Writer.

Could he?

"_Some chick that had a parrot used to try and ask him out when he first moved out on his own…" _

As Emmett's words filtered through my mind again, I pulled my hand away from his so I could think more clearly, but it didn't work.

_PennyLane84: I didn't see you around last night, started to worry you got attacked by the parrot lady again._

"You're him." I mumbled, feeling the dampness of my confused tears running down my cheeks. Edward reached his hand up and wiped away the moisture. His touch soothed my boiling emotions, and not even his next and completely shocking words could have caused them to reach the surface. I was suddenly numb and so very confused.

"Don't cry, Penny Lane."

"Huh…?" I said, my voice quiet as it trailed off into space. I searched Edward's eyes for confirmation that I hadn't imagined what he had just said, but all I saw was panic in them. What the hell did he have to be panicked about? I was the one who may have just found out that the two guys I had developed feelings for this summer were one in the same. If anyone should be panicking and running for the exit, it was me. However, I couldn't find it in me to move at the moment.

"Come on," he said, motioning with his head towards the door. "Let's go talk about this. You must have a ton of questions, huh?" I nodded my head slowly, slightly unsure of myself as Edward grabbed my hand again, leading us off the stage and back to where our friends were standing. I barely noticed anyone around me but Edward, who I was very confused about all of a sudden because he was right, my head was filled with thousands of questions. How long had he known about this and why hadn't he told me sooner? Did anyone else know? What the hell were we going to do now?

"Bella and I are going for a walk," Edward announced to all of our friends, who looked nervous, yet excited at the same time. They all appeared anxious as they nodded their heads in unison, which was actually really creepy, the concerned looks plain on their faces. What the hell was going on?

I wrapped my arms around myself tightly and tried to reign in my over active imagination so I didn't make any rash assumptions as Edward walked us outside the small club. He stood beside me for a moment, looking at me with trepidation, and no doubt he was unsure of how this was going to go. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure of it myself. All I knew was that he needed to be honest with me if I wasn't going to freak out and go all postal on him or something.

Edward and I walked beside each other in silence for a few moments before he stopped. I looked at him with confusion before he turned to face me and then grabbed both of my hands, pulling them from around my body and looking at me with apprehension and something else… something unknown, in his eyes. I knew he had explaining to do, but in that second I wanted nothing more than to hold him and tell him it was going to be all right. Even though I wasn't sure if it was.

"You know, I waited in the park for eight hours," he finally said, catching me off guard. This wasn't helping my state of confusion at all.

"What?" I asked, because it was clear that he didn't really know where he was taking this conversation with that one statement.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair; my heart lurched as I realized how hard this was for him, too. I wasn't the only one nervous and perplexed about our situation. "The day you left for Seattle when your father had a heart attack."

"That was the day I was supposed to meet…." Holy shit. This was really happening. "Ohmygod. You're really him?" I said as the tears started to threaten my vision again. "You waited for me for _eight hours_? What the hell is wrong with you?" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"When I got the email from Penny… I mean you… explaining what had happened, I didn't feel like such a jackass for having waited. But then the day I came over and the girls told me why you went to Seattle, that's when I knew that you were my PennyLane84."

"I can't believe this," I said, shaking my head back and forth in disbelief. "Wake up!" I shouted as I began smacking my palm against my forehead. I heard Edward laugh beneath the slapping sound, and he grabbed my wrist to stop me from hurting myself. I looked up at him and he was shaking his head at me.

"Bella, I'm your Paperback_Writer," he whispered, moving his hand to rest on my cheek. I leaned into his touch and he kissed the spot on my forehead where I had probably left a red mark from the force of my hand a moment earlier.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my voice shaky from realization that the two men I had been struggling to choose between were in fact the same tentative, fun-loving, quiet, but amazingly dirty in bed photographer and apparent greeting card writer man.

"I didn't want to blow it. I didn't want to dump it all on you and have you run away from me," he said as he let go of one of my hands and pulled me gently, gesturing that he wanted to keep walking. I curled into his side as he wrapped his hand over my shoulder sweetly. "I don't think I could handle it if you decided not to be in my life."

We walked for a few more minutes before I managed to find some way to respond to him. I was so overwhelmed with everything; I just didn't know what to say, but thankfully for me, Edward kept explaining.

"I knew how you felt about love early on in our friendship, and it was hard for you to let me in, even as just your friend. You have to know that I was completely smitten with you the moment I laid eyes on you in Common Grounds all those months ago. I wanted so badly to get to know you, but then I was getting to know Penny and I felt so comfortable with her, and it was like I had known her for years," Edward let out a small sigh before silencing my mouth with his fingers as he continued on. "Imagine my surprise when I found out it was you. It was like you were made just for me, Bella; the artistic bombshell with the heart of gold that loved the Beatles and had a meddling mother just like mine. I think we were fated to be together."

As we came upon the replica of the Champs Elysses at the entrance to Washington Square Park, the streets around us were busy with honking horns, changing streetlights and passersby, but once we stopped and I looked into Edward's eyes again, I didn't notice any of them.

"Why?"

"Why what?" he asked in confusion. I bit my lip in a nervous gesture before I explained my need for elaboration. The sad part was that this wasn't even the most confused I had been since Edward had come into my life. In fact, his latest comments had made my heart feel something I didn't know it could feel.

"Why didn't you want to scare me off?" Edward took a deep breath and moved closer to me as his palm found its home against my cheek again and his thumb stroked it gently. For the second time that night, his green eyes were trying to tell me something and try as I might, I couldn't read his expression.

"Because I'm in love with you," he said with certainty. I exhaled loudly and all the worry, confusion, frustration and anxiety from the past four months released in that one breath, along with all of the doubt I had ever felt about him. He had been nervous I would run when I found out the truth, but I knew that would never happen. I just wasn't sure what this newfound knowledge meant for us, until he said those six little words. It was at that moment that every single puzzle piece in my life fit together perfectly, because I realized that I was in love with Edward Cullen.

I stood on my toes and captured his lips with mine softly. I poured all of my love for him into it, needing him to feel it before I said it. Although we'd shared a kiss the day before, and I'd only technically known him for four months, it felt like the first time I'd ever tasted him. When I pulled away, Edward smiled and leaned down to touch his lips to mine once more chastely.

"I'm in love with you, too," I said breathlessly, as my eyes remained focused on his and I saw the most breathtaking smile cross his gorgeous face.

"God, you have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that," he whispered, leaning down and taking my lips between his again. I felt the warmth of Edward's touch on my bare back as his hands wrapped around my waist and he lifted me up slightly from the ground in excitement.

He broke away from our kiss after a while, but his lips didn't leave my skin. They traveled across my jaw and down my neck until he reached my collarbone, my body shuddering from his touch. My hands found their way into his hair, and I had to use all of my willpower to not pull him closer. I tugged on his hair, gesturing for him to move his head and look at me.

"I think I have an idea," I whispered, lowering my voice and bringing my hands between our bodies. I circled the tips of my fingers around the hardness they found there. I didn't care that we were on the sidewalk by the intersection of a busy street, because as long as he was with me, no one else mattered. "Yup, I definitely know how happy you are to hear me say it." I winked at Edward, and he just stared at me, slack jawed at my boldness.

"You know I just told you that I love you, right? Isn't this moment supposed to be all sweet and romantic? Because what your hands are doing down there… is definitely the opposite of sweet and romantic," he said sternly, but the mischief in his eyes deceived his words.

"Yeah well, we've done everything else backwards up to this point. Why stop now?"

**EPOV**

Was it wrong of me to want to scale the Empire State Building and scream out in happiness and love for this woman? Bella never was the kind of girl who wanted grand gestures, but at that moment, I would have pulled down the moon and given it to her, because she had given me the best thing ever. Her love.

"Can you do me one little favor?" I asked, with a small pout as Bella looked at me in confusion. "Can you say it again?"

"I love you, Edward Cullen," Bella replied with a laugh as I lifted her up once more and twirled her in my arms, kissing her neck over and over again.

"Fuck, I love you so much. I think this is better than all of my dreams combined. Not that I had thought about this moment or anything," I added as I put her back down on the ground and wrapped my hand in hers, leading her away from the park.

"You thought about this moment… of me telling you that I love you?" she asked as she nudged me gently as we walked down the street, ignoring the world around us. Nothing else existed in that moment other than Bella and me, together. Finally.

"I've dreamt so much about you since the day we first met online, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," I said genuinely as Bella motioned with her free hand for me to continue. "Well, before I knew who you were… that you were Penny I mean, I used to think very dirty thoughts about you. Then as I got more involved with you, as Bella… my friend and lover," I choked out anxiously. "I began to wonder if you could ever love me the way I knew I loved you. I wondered how it would feel to wake up every morning with you, hold your hand in mine and stare at the paint under your nails as you slept."

"How dirty were those thoughts? Not that the romantic ones don't sound good, too," she said with a giggle as I draped my arm over her shoulder again and pulled her to my side as I kissed the top of her head.

"Very dirty." Bella stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at me with wide eyes. "I'll tell you all about them one day."

"You don't want to show me?" she asked as she looked up at me through her lashes, causing my cock to stir awake again after she had surprised me by rubbing me through my jeans on the street mere minutes ago. My eyes grew wide and I simply nodded my head in response as I looked up and noticed we were across the street from my apartment building.

"I don't want to show you today Bella. However, I'm not averse to showing you soon," I whispered to her as we crossed the street and I then stopped us in front of my building. As much as I wanted to do all sorts of dirty things with Bella, it was not the night for that. I wanted to worship every inch of her and show her how much I truly did love her with all of my heart. "Is it too bold of me to ask you up?"

"If you didn't ask I would have to retract my confession of love," Bella said with a grin as I leaned down and kissed her cheek gently.

"No you wouldn't," I said as I opened the front door and then entwined my fingers in hers as I led us towards the elevator bay.

"You're right, I wouldn't. I waited too long to find you, I'm not letting you go so quickly," she replied as I pressed the button to go up and wrapped my arms around her, pressing her back to my chest, my straining cock no doubt being felt against her lower back. "Could this thing be any slower?" she asked impatiently.

I leaned down and sucked gently on her neck as one of my hands ghosted slowly down her arm, unwilling to let go of her completely. When the door opened, there stood Mrs. Petrone with a huge smile on her face. "You know, you have an apartment to do that sort of stuff in," she said with a laugh.

"What are you doing up so late?" I questioned as I noticed the clock on the wall in the lobby said it was eleven at night.

"Edward, the best infomercials don't come on until after midnight. I need to make sure I get my niece's dog a Snuggie for the holidays. Christmas is coming up fast," she said with all seriousness as I simply laughed at her candor. Bella giggled and Mrs. Petrone looked at her with a curious glance. "You gonna be around for Christmas?"

"Hopefully he'll have me for much longer," Bella stated genuinely as I kissed her neck again and listened to Mrs. Petrone sigh.

"I guess I need to get another Slap Chop then. See you in the morning. Don't be too loud. The walls are paper thin in this place," she said with a laugh as she opened the front door and went to leave the building. "I need a coffee fix. Thank god for the twenty four hour Starbucks around the corner." Bella and I stepped into the elevator a moment later, after waving goodbye to Mrs. Petrone.

"She's sweet," Bella said as she leaned up against the wall and I hit the button for my floor.

"Sure… sweet is the word I would use," I replied sarcastically as I pushed the thoughts of Mrs. Petrone from my mind and rested my hands against the elevator wall on either side of Bella's head, leaning down to kiss her gently. "I'd rather not talk right now though." I reached one of my hands down and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her against me, just as the elevator dinged on my floor and the door opened.

I gripped Bella's hand tightly as I pulled her down the hallway behind me and fished my keys out of my pocket. I suddenly became a fumbling mess as I tried to remain calm and unlock the door to my apartment. When it was finally open, Bella pushed the door and walked in, this time dragging me in with her. "Would you mind if I went to freshen up for a moment?" she asked as I pulled the keys from the door, shutting it and locking it behind us.

"No, that's fine," I stammered nervously as Bella kissed my cheek and then went up the stairs to my en suite bathroom, rather than the main floor one. I guess she wanted to be upstairs, I thought to myself as I darted up behind her, once I had heard the door to the bathroom close. I ran around my room in a panic, cleaning up the clothes that littered the floor and finding my iPod under my pillow. I quickly attached it to my iHome and put on the playlist I had begun formulating not long after I determined that Bella was my Penny. Of course, the first song on the list was 'Something' by the Beatles.

"Good song choice," I heard Bella say after the door to the bathroom had opened slowly. When I turned around to face her, I was shocked to see her standing there completely naked. Jesus Christ. I should have dropped down to my knees and prayed to the gods for bringing this angel to me, but all I could do was stare at her with a slack jaw. "I heard a rumor you liked the Beatles."

"Um… what?... wait, yeah, I love the Beatles, but not as much as I love you," I replied anxiously as I forced the nervous thoughts from my mind and strode over to the doorway, wrapping my arms around her soft body and holding her tight to me. "This is a welcome surprise," I said as I kissed her bare shoulder and lightly ghosted my fingers down her arms.

"I didn't want you to give you the wrong impression," she said quietly as she draped one finger down my neck and across my chest, to rest at the hem of my shirt that she grabbed tightly and pulled over my head eagerly.

"Oh and what impression would that be?" I asked as I turned her until her back was facing my room and I walked with her until her knees hit the edge of my bed. I mentally congratulated myself for having the good sense to make my bed before I left the apartment earlier that day, and I watched intently as Bella sat down on the edge, spreading her legs as I stood between them.

"I didn't want you to think that just because we were in love with each other, that we would resort to snuggling tonight," she said as her fingers tugged on my unlatched belt, pulling it from my jeans and tossing it across the room.

"Don't worry about that, Bella," I stated as I let her undo my jeans slightly before I leaned forward and pressed my hands against the bed, making Bella fall back onto my soft mattress with a little thud and a mischievous glint in her eye. "I plan on spending the entire night making love to you."

Bella's feet moved up my legs and she pushed my jeans and boxers down swiftly, before repositioning herself in the center of the bed, welcoming me to her. She looked a little shy, as a light blush covered her body, but to me she just looked like the most beautiful woman ever. I climbed onto the bed, moving myself between her legs as the song changed in the background to Penny Lane, and Bella let out a small giggle.

"This may be my playlist that I made when I found out you were my Penny," I said bluntly before lowering my face to her chest and burying my face in her neck, licking her skin softly as one hand held me above her, and the other memorized her every curve. Being with her now superseded every time we had ever been together before, because now we were doing it in love, not just in the spur of the moment to fulfill a need we shared for each other.

Bella's fingers threaded through my hair and she pulled me closer to her, the soft moans falling from her lips urging me on. "I love it," she whispered out as I felt her move her legs further apart beneath me. "Is it all the Beatles?"

I pulled back slowly from Bella and gazed down upon her body with wonder. The softness of her body, the pink of her nipples and the curve of her neck all appealed to me even more now than ever before, she was nothing short of beautiful. "No, it's not all the Beatles," I said with an anxious laugh as she smiled brightly below me, her lips calling for me to kiss her, so I did. "It's all different songs that remind me of you… or of us. I'm going to have to add a bunch more after today though. I may need to put on Rod Stewart's 'If You Want My Body,'" I said with a laugh as Bella blushed. "Yeah, Rosalie may have said you sang that for me."

"I'm going to kill her," she said through clenched teeth as I leaned down and sucked one of her nipples into my mouth, tugging on it gently as my other hand massaged her breast firmly.

"You can't kill her. No one else in this world is equipped to deal with Emmett. Anyways, if it wasn't for the little shove by our friends, we wouldn't be here right now," I explained as Bella bit her lower lip between her teeth and nodded in understanding. I reached up and pulled her lip free tenderly. "You are beautiful."

Bella blushed again, her skin turning a slightly darker shade as 'Connect the Dots' by The Spill Canvas suddenly came through the speakers and I bent forward and kissed Bella once more, our lips matching perfectly together as her fingers worked their way through my hair again, bringing me closer to her as my tongue slipped out and found hers waiting eagerly.

My fingers ghosted down her body, my hand finally finding purchase on her hip as I traced her wet clit lightly with my other hand. I couldn't even find the words to express how gorgeous Bella looked as her eyes closed and her mouth fell open as I touched her sensitive clit. Her soft moans and the tiny quivers of her body spurred me on, making my cock ache with desire for her more than I ever thought possible. This woman was surely meant for only me; for the rest of my life.

Bella rolled her hips against me as I leaned over to grab a condom from my nightstand, her wetness finding my throbbing cock as she wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me feverishly as I finally found the small foil package I needed. I ripped it open in desperation as I looked down upon Bella who had reluctantly released me so I could prepare myself. I felt so self conscious, and it was very unlike me, especially in the bedroom. However, today was different. Everything about being here with Bella at that moment felt different.

I sheathed myself quickly before repositioning myself between her legs, holding back the urge to simply thrust myself inside of her, to feel her around me again. I teased her clit and pussy with my fingers until she finally grabbed my hand and stilled my motions.

"Edward, we have the rest of our lives for you to explore every inch of me. I just need to feel you… please?" she urged as I kissed her lips softly and eased my cock inside her, neither of us finding the strength to move. I felt her fingers scratch against my back, and her legs wrap around me, pushing me further into her. It was like heaven.

_Don't you just love the feeling of my fingertips,  
circling your lips.  
Don't you just love the desire taking hold of you,  
I can tell you do.  
I know all your favorite spots,  
and tonight we will connect the dots._

Bella and I finally began to move in perfect rhythm for what seemed like forever, our groans and moans punctuated by the kisses we shared as our bodies wrapped seamlessly around each other. When I glanced down at our entwined bodies, I couldn't even tell where Bella ended and I began, which made me elated beyond words. I could feel Bella's body tensing around me and knew her release was imminent, but the next words out of her mouth surprised me.

"Say it again," she urged as I kissed her neck and thrust into her again, harder with each motion of my body.

"I love you, Isabella Swan," I said quietly as I felt her come around me, effectively bringing on my own release moments later. I rested my head down on her chest for a moment as I struggled to catch my breath, and Bella's fingers found their way through my hair, stroking it softly.

"I love you too. So fucking much," she said sincerely as I lifted my head and kissed her lips gently. I could very easily get used to this. "I'm not tired."

"That's good. Give me a few minutes, I'll be ready for round two," I said with a wink as I rolled off of her and tossed the condom in the garbage beside my bed. When I lay back down, Bella curled up on her side, wrapping her legs and arms around my body as she held me close.

"When did you know you were in love with me?" she asked bluntly as I lifted my head from the pillow for a moment to look at her.

"I could say it was love at first sight, but you would never believe me," I said with a laugh. "When I was in Los Angeles for Riley's wedding, I knew then. I was out drinking with him and his friends when I realized how much I loved you. I already knew then that you were my two favorite people rolled into one, I just didn't know what to do about it."

"So what made you finally say something?"

"Alice and Rosalie cornered me. I blurted it out to them and they then made it their mission to get us together. I had all these romantic ideas in my head for things to do, but it apparently just took a little liquid courage and some Heart to get me to smarten up."

"Who else knows?"

"Everyone," I admitted remorsefully as I heard Bella let out a small sigh. "I didn't tell them. Well, I didn't tell Jasper and Emmett, the girls did that for me, and they only found out tonight, if that makes it better. Please don't be upset you found out last. I really wanted you to know first, I swear," I stammered nervously as Bella leaned up on my chest and looked at me with narrowed eyes. Shit. I had fucked this up, hadn't I?

"I'm not upset," she said with a small laugh as she kissed my chest as I breathed a major sigh of relief. "I don't care how we got here, just that we did." I pulled Bella up till she was resting her bare body on mine, her head resting on my chest lightly. "So, in case anyone asks… what are we doing here? Am I your girlfriend?"

"I don't think a casual term like girlfriend can describe what you are to me, Bella. You're my soul mate, my everything, my future," I admitted easily as I grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her unyieldingly. "I love you."

**Now everyone go listen to 'Connect the Dots' by The Spill Canvas. That song and this lemon have been together since the beginning. Appreciate it, ladies ;) **

**Oh, and don't forget to leave us some love!**


	25. I Need You

**CPW: I know we were late with the update, but better late than never right?**

**FLB11: Do you think our readers are alright with that?**

**CPW: I think they are more than alright with it. All good things come to those who wait right?**

**FLB11: Let's not prolong the madness any further. We don't own Twilight; but I did make really cute cupcakes with my mother on the weekend and CPW got to see her two baby nieces, Emma and Gabriella.**

**BPOV**

I stirred slightly and found myself surrounded by a comforting embrace and warmth. Edward's soft breaths were making the strands of hair on top of my head sway gently back and forth. The thoughts from the night before swarmed around in my head and I couldn't believe that everything that had happened the night before was real. I couldn't believe _he_ was real; he was my Paperback_Writer.

I didn't have to choose between two guys who were no doubt perfect for me. I didn't have to watch the crease in his eyebrows grow when I told Edward about some random guy that I had been talking to on the computer. I also didn't have to explain to him that this mystery man was part of the reason I had been so scared to finally be with him. He understood.

I had come to realize in the past few days, that no matter what I did to try and stop it, the feelings that I had for Edward would always be there. The crazy whirlwind that my life had been over the past few months, made me see that there was only one reason why I had been so confused.

I loved him.

If Edward had just been another passing ship, or someone that was truly only a friend with benefits, then choosing between him and PBW shouldn't have been as hard as it was. It had taken me a while to accept it, obviously, but I realized that Edward and I… we didn't have to be my parents. We would only become that if I let us, and believe me, I had no plans to let that happen.

I moved my body slightly so I could see his face better. He was so peaceful as he slept, while the early morning sunlight shining through his bedroom window painted happiness on his face. I reached for a stray lock of hair that had veiled his perfect features, and ran my hand through his hair in hopes of putting the deviant strand back into place. Edward stirred faintly at my touch, so I moved my hand away, not wanting to wake him just yet.

I looked over at the clock on his nightstand and noticed that it was just after nine thirty in the morning. I carefully climbed out of bed, sliding out from Edward's embrace and found his white button down shirt on the floor. My lips turned up in desire and I grabbed it, quickly putting it on before going downstairs and into the kitchen so I could surprise him with breakfast in bed. We would both need some sustenance after the night we'd had.

When I opened the fridge, my mouth fell open in shock at the emptiness within. How did he live with absolutely no food? It was practically empty, save for the opened six-pack of beer, half gallon of milk and a couple of apples. I would need to take him to the grocery store soon and fix this. After all, I couldn't be expected to cook for my boyfriend with no food in his apartment. I looked in the cabinets, not finding anything salvageable that I could work with, so I went back upstairs in search of my clothes.

I tiptoed to the bathroom where I had taken them off, smiling at the memory of Edward's face when I had walked out into his bedroom completely naked. I was looking forward to many more nights like that one, and hopefully very soon.

I slid into my jeans and ballet flats, and then I partially buttoned Edward's shirt, tying it at my waist so it fit better and accentuated some of my assets. I found a small notepad and a pen where I wrote a note telling him where I'd gone, that I would be back soon, and that I was sorry if he woke up without me. I placed the note on the pillow I had slept on and kissed his forehead before I grabbed my cell phone and went back downstairs as quietly as I could.

I hurried out the door, a small spring in my step, hoping that I could be back before Edward woke up. I walked along the sidewalk, down a few blocks and passed Common Grounds on my way to Whole Foods. I smiled to myself at the sight of the old coffee shop, because it had been the catalyst that brought Edward and I together. It was our middle ground, and had it not existed, Edward and I wouldn't have gotten to this point. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought, before I realized that I had already found him… online. I rolled my eyes at my dramatics, because wasting time on 'what if's' was definitely what had taken us so long to get to where we were, and I didn't want to do it anymore.

My phone rang and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Alice, no doubt wanting to know all of the little details from last night. "Why Miss Brandon, what a pleasant surprise," I said enthusiastically as I answered the phone, walking quickly along the sidewalk, eager to get back to Edward, but also wanting to talk to Alice about everything that had happened.

"How did it go? Were you mad? I hope you weren't mad, because he really just wanted to make it perfect for you, ya know. But I don't think you were mad, because you didn't come home last night. So how was the sex? I can only imagine it would be amazing after all you guys have been through, and…"

"Alice!" I yelled in my attempt to get her to slow down, or preferably to just shut the fuck up. She had been talking a mile a minute, not unlike that Micro Machines guy from those commercials in the 80's. If I didn't speak 'Alice' I would have no idea what the hell she had just said.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away. At least I'm getting this over the phone and you're not here to try and cover my mouth like Edward did that one time. I bet I taught him a lesson. Biting a person can do that," she continued at lightning speed, and I wondered how she was still breathing.

"Are you done or did you want me to come over there and kick your ass for biting my boyfriend?" I had to pull the phone away from my ear at the high pitched squeal that screeched through the speaker on my phone. She was so fucking loud I thought it might break, or I might go deaf. I waited patiently until she was finished, still holding the phone away from my ear until all I was met with on the other end was silence.

"Alice? Are you okay over there?" I asked slowly, a smile creeping up onto my face at the thought of her being so excited for me.

"Tell me what happened!"

"Well, we walked around last night and Edward told me about the day we were supposed to meet in the park, and how he waited there for eight hours. He then explained how he found out I was Penny the day I came home from Forks. He told me he didn't want to tell me right away and scare me away, because he's in love with me," I finished, wanting a response before I continued.

"Oh. My. God. What did you say?" she asked, and I could hear the anticipation in her voice. I walked into the grocery store and grabbed a basket, immediately seeking out what I needed to make breakfast. As much as I wanted to stock his fridge, I knew that I just need to get the essentials and then get out. We could come back together later.

"The truth," I said simply, as I was attempting to get a rise out of her.

"Which would be…" she said, dragging out the last word, and I could almost see her tilting her head in a way that said 'quit holding out on me.'

"That I love him, too," I said matter-of-factly. I pulled the phone away from my ear again, prepared this time for the shrieking. I grabbed a carton of eggs and headed over to the meats to pick up a package of bacon as I waited for Alice to calm down. I put the phone back to my ear when I could hear her voice at a normal level.

"I'm so freaking happy for you, Bella! And I'm sorry Rose and I didn't tell you, but Edward really wanted to be the one to do it, and we thought you should hear it from him anyway," she said quickly.

"I know, Al, and it's okay. I'm glad I heard it from him, and I don't really care how we got to this point. I'm just so glad that we did."

Alice and I talked more about the previous night while I wandered through the store. I picked up some orange juice for Edward and I, and then paid using one of the self-checkout stations. Which turned out to be more like a wrestling match than paying for groceries. Those stupid things always go wrong, and I needed to ask for help, which ended up talking ten minutes longer than it should have.

"I swear, Alice, I could have been back by now. I bet you he just woke up, too," I said in frustration. Between talking to Alice and the debacle of trying to pay for the food, I had been out way longer than I had planned.

"Calm down, Bella," she laughed. "Your cooter will get some soon."

I laughed at Alice's crass joke and continued my walk down the street. The streets were a little more deserted that normal, so I crossed just before the crosswalk when I reached the corner across from Edward's apartment. Standing between two parked cars, I checked to make sure that no one was coming before stepping out into the street.

"I need to give that man a lesson on how to shop for groceries. Seriously, all that was in there was beer, a couple of app-"

"Hey, lady!"

I stopped talking to Alice immediately after hearing someone shouting in my direction. When I glanced back, a bike messenger whipped around the corner at breakneck speed, and before I had any time to react, we collided. Well, to be honest… he fucking plowed right into me.

The next thing I knew, I was being smashed into the side of a parked car. My head hit the driver's side window, the glass cracking under the impact while echoing a million fears in my head. I slid down to the ground as I noticed that my cell phone and the groceries were no longer in my hand. There was a sharp, stabbing pain in my abdomen, but when I opened my mouth, I couldn't speak.

I sat there for a moment, the cool morning air surrounding me. I was completely stunned. How could that all have happened so quickly? No sooner had I made sure that no one was coming, I was on the ground.

"Shit, Miss are you okay?" I heard someone call from beside me. The sound was far away, and it took me a moment before I could figure out which direction it came from.

The bike messenger was crouched down beside me, a worried expression on his face. His dull brown eyes held no comfort compared to the vibrant green I craved. I looked past him, to his bike that was on the ground, and to the passersby giving us curious glances, before looking back at him.

"Yes, I'm… fine," I said, sounding unsure, even to myself. The ring of my cell phone from a distance caught my attention and I began searching for it with my eyes because I was afraid to move.

"Is that yours?" he asked, the promptness of his question told me that he was anxious to be on his way. I nodded and took a deep breath. The messenger got up and searched, following the sound of the phone while I grabbed a hold of the car I was leaning against and tried to stand up. I managed to steady my footing just as he was coming back with my phone. Edward's shirt was twisted to one side, and I began straightening it before he handed me the phone.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

I nodded once more, eager to have him leave at that point. I looked down at my caller ID and saw that it was Alice calling me back. "Hello?" I looked up once the phone was pressed against my ear and saw the messenger getting back onto his bike, riding away.

"Bella? Are you okay? I heard someone yelling and then the line went dead."

"I'm, um… I think I'm okay. I just got hit by one of those fucking bike messengers," I said, my voice shaky as a result of the shock of what had just occurred. It had all happened so fast, and yet I felt as if I had been standing in that spot forever. My stomach and my head both ached in pain, and I looked to see the groceries I had picked up strewn across the road, already run down by a car or two. "My groceries are toast though. I smacked my head on a car window and it hurts like a motherfucker, but I'm good I think."

"Oh my god, are you sure you're okay? Do you need me to come get you?" she asked, the panic emanating from her voice and through the phone.

"No, I'm right across from Edward's apartment building. I can get there by myself," I said, the tears threatening to spill over at the thought of seeing him after this. Countless childhood accidents came flooding into my mind. I would never cry until I saw my dad.

"Okay, you'll call me to let me know that you're all right?"

"I promise, Al. I just need to get off the phone and across the street. I'll call you," I said as I hung up the phone and took the first few unsteady steps back to the sidewalk. My legs were wobbling with adrenaline, and my eyes were moving frantically, anxiously waiting for something to happen as I crossed the street.

When I finally made it to Edward's building, I started climbing the stairs to the front door. About halfway up, the pain in my stomach seemed to triple, and I felt like a knife had just gone through me. I sat down on the steps and pulled out my phone again. This time I dialed Edward's number.

"Hey, I was just about to call you. You didn't need to make me breakfast in bed, I'd rather have you in here with me," he said, and the smile was clear in his voice, which only made the tears come faster.

"Edward," I began, taking a deep breath to try and compose myself. It didn't work.

"Bella? Baby, what's wrong?"

A single sob broke through the surface at the distress in his voice, but I reined it in.

"I'm outside. Can you come get me? I think something's wrong."

**EPOV**

When I woke up the next morning from what I could only guess was one of the most surreal dreams ever, I reached over in my bed desperate to find Bella's soft body beside mine. Instead, I found cool sheets and a piece of paper with a hideously scribbled note on it. I sat up in the bed and began to read the note, a tiny smile forming on my face as I read it.

_Dear __Paperback_wr  
PBWard_

_Edward, _

_Went to the grocery store because I went to make you breakfast, but you have nothing in your house. Seriously, how are you still alive? We're going out later so I can buy you some real food. _

_Sorry I'm not here if you're reading this. I'll be back soon._

_I love you,_

___Penny  
Pennyella_ Well that just sounds stupid. I'm going to have to work on that one.

_Bella_

Well thank god, I thought to myself with a wide smile. At least last night hadn't been a figment of my imagination. I knew I had only had a few drinks at the bar, but certainly not enough to hallucinate explaining the whole fucked up situation to Bella and then having her confess her love to me moment after I told her how I felt.

Saying it now it even seemed unreal. Bella was in love with me. We were in love. I tossed my body back against the bed, feeling like a fourteen year old girl who was just asked to the dance by her crush. It was really fucking pathetic. I tossed the note down on my nightstand and rolled out of bed, making my way to the bathroom to take a piss before heading to the kitchen.

I was tempted to get dressed and run across the street to Common Grounds to get some coffee, because I was in desperate need of a caffeine fix. I was still high on the entire situation with Bella, but fuck, the burn of some coffee down my throat would have felt good right then. I looked in the fridge and was a little shocked by my complete lack of food. No wonder Bella had to head out to get something as simple as eggs and orange juice. I shook my head for my lack of planning and groceries. I was about to climb the stairs to take a quick shower in the bathroom while she was gone, but my phone began ringing on the island, bringing me back to the kitchen. I smiled brightly when I saw on my call display that it was Bella calling me.

"Hey, I was just about to call you. You didn't need to make me breakfast in bed, I'd rather have you in here with me," I said genuinely as I heard the honking of traffic behind her. I hoped she wasn't far away because I was truly desperate to see her again.

"Edward," she said softly, as her voice cracked and I immediately could tell that something was going on.

"Bella? Baby, what's wrong?" I asked intensely as I heard her begin to cry and my heart skipped a beat. If there was ever anyone in this world I didn't want to hear cry, it was my sweet Bella.

"I'm outside. Can you come get me? I think something's wrong."

"What's wrong? How can something be wrong?" I pleaded with her, trying to remain calm as I ran up my stairs two at a time and pulled on the first clothes I found, a pair of sweat pants and a wrinkled t-shirt from the floor. "Where outside are you?"

I opted to run down the stairs instead of waiting for the deathly slow elevator, listening to her as she told me through her tears that she was sitting on my front stoop. Her voice sounded low and shaky, and it was scaring the living crap out of me. When I ran through the door from the stairwell, I could see a small smattering of her brown hair and ran towards her as fast as I could, finding her doubled over in pain.

"What happened Bella?" I asked as I wrapped my arm around her and tried to lift her up, but she wouldn't budge.

"I got hit," she said as I reached up and wiped away her tears, which only brought on more. "A bike messenger… my stomach," she tried to explain in vain as I dialed 911 on my cell phone and immediately requested an ambulance. At that particular moment, I really didn't care if she just had a small cut on her side, I was taking her to the hospital to figure out what the hell was going on. "I have a headache, Edward."

"Shhh, baby. I'm sure that's very normal considering the hit you took. He must have been going pretty fast, huh?"

"Yeah, I lost the groceries."

"Don't worry about the groceries, Bella. They aren't nearly as important as you are, sweetheart."

While we waited for the ambulance to arrive, I cradled her head gently in my lap and stroked her hair softly. I listened as she explained to me the items she had bought at the store and what she had planned to make me for breakfast.

"I was going to make you omelets," she said slowly. I could tell she was fading away from me and I needed to try my hardest to keep her awake. Bella honestly seemed more heartbroken over the fact that she wasn't going to be able to make me breakfast than she was about the injuries she had obviously suffered.

"Oh yeah? What were you gonna put in them?" I asked as I continued stroking her hair. I realized that this was probably not helping her stay awake, but it was certainly keeping my nerves calm, or as calm as they could be. It wasn't until she stopped talking to me that I understood the entire situation was more serious than I thought it was.

"Bella… stay awake, babe," I said tensely as I lifted her head slowly and noticed her eyes were shut. "Jesus Christ, Bella. This isn't funny. Wake up. Please." I was tempted to try and shake her awake when the ambulance finally pulled up to the curb and two guys jumped out, grabbing their supplies from the back of their truck.

"What happened here?" asked the first paramedic I later learned was named Elliott.

"She was hit by a bike messenger. She just fell unconscious though, like… umm… two minutes ago, I guess. I tried to wake her up, but nothing happened."

"Did she complain of any injuries before she went out?" Elliott asked as he and the second paramedic, Josh, tried to pry her from my arms.

"Umm… she mentioned a headache and her stomach…" I tried to run through my memory to see if there was anything I was forgetting, but I had no idea. Everything was suddenly very rushed as Josh and Elliott helped me bring her into the back of their ambulance, forcing our way through the small crowd that had gathered around the scene. "I don't know if there was anything else. What is wrong with her?"

Elliott climbed into the driver's seat as I climbed in the back and watched as Josh began examining Bella thoroughly. I was completely unhinged and helpless as I simply sat there watching everything unfold. Remorse poured through every fiber of my body as I thought about how I wished I had woken before Bella and convinced her not to go to the grocery store. Fuck, if I had managed to get some fucking groceries for my apartment, this wouldn't be happening either.

After listening to Josh and Elliott banter back and forth about her condition while not understanding any of the medical terms they were spewing to each other, I had had enough. "Where the fuck are you taking her?"

"St. Vincent's."

I grabbed my cell phone and sent a quick text to both Jasper and Emmett, begging them to get to St. Vincent's as soon as possible with Rosalie and Alice. It was at this moment that I wished I had managed to get the girls' cell phone numbers during the past few weeks. I was thankful that St. Vincent's was only a few blocks away from my apartment and breathed a sigh of relief that we would be there sooner rather than later. Each second that passed was absolutely terrifying. I looked down on the girl who I loved more than anything else in the universe, and I was completely panic stricken about losing her.

When we arrived at the hospital, Elliott and Josh brought Bella in on the gurney and I was guided towards the front desk to provide them with her medical information. I felt even more helpless as I looked at the information on the forms and realized that the only thing I could fill out was her name and address. I tossed the clipboard onto the chair beside me and buried my head in my hands, tears falling softly as I realized how little I actually knew about Bella.

It seemed like ages before someone came to find me and talk to me about what was going on. Dr. Bowler, the ER doctor on call began peppering me with questions about what happened, and I grew more frustrated because it seemed like he just wasn't listening to me.

"This is what I know, and nothing more. Bella was coming home from the grocery store when she got hit by a bike messenger. She called me from her cell phone and sounded coherent. When I got to her, I called 911 and she told me her head and her stomach hurt. Please say you have something to tell me… anything. Just tell me she's going to be okay."

"We're currently running a battery of tests on her. We are hoping to have some information for you shortly though. Please stay in the waiting room and one of the nurses will contact you soon," he said as he turned away from me on his heel. I flipped him the bird before throwing my body back into the uncomfortable plastic seat. I glanced down at the unfinished paperwork still attached to the clipboard, and was about to return it to the nurse when Alice and Rosalie ran in, followed closely by Jasper and Emmett.

"Oh my god. I knew something was wrong. I was talking to her on the phone and then our call dropped out, but she assured me she was fine when I called her back. She's not fine is she? Where is she? Where's her doctor?" Words were coming from Alice's mouth but I seriously didn't think I noticed her lips move once. Was she really talking that quickly?

"Alice, shut the fuck up," Rosalie yelled at her as she gripped her best friend's shoulder tightly and tried to get her to calm down. "You, boyfriend… tell us what happened, preferably in short sentences, so that the crazed bitch here can understand."

I let out a small sigh and then described to them what I knew, with Alice filling in the blanks at the beginning of the accident that I wasn't previously aware of. Once everything was explained in meticulous detail, Rosalie went to talk to a nurse to try and get more information as Alice grabbed the clipboard and began filling it out. She patted my shoulder supportively as I felt Emmett sit down beside me and nudge my shoulder slightly.

"So, you finally told her, huh?"

"Yup."

"Are you sure you love her?"

"More than you could possibly understand, Emmett. She's it for me."

"Well it's about time you found someone. Jazz and I have been waiting for you to join the happy relationship club," he said with a small smile, trying to break the tension. It didn't work.

"You guys have been dating for what… like two months? You are hardly the best examples of a serious relationship," I said stoically as Jasper took the seat Alice had just left, as she returned to the nurses' station to hand in the completed paperwork.

"Edward… she's going to be fine," he said reassuringly as Alice came back and sat on his lap, the two of them looking so perfect and in love, I literally felt sick to my stomach.

"You don't know that, Jasper. You have no idea if she is going to be okay. Sure, this could just be some little thing like a broken rib, but don't you think if that was the case I would have heard something already? All I want is to hear her laughter or see her smile again. Is that too much to fucking ask?" I shouted as I jumped up from my chair and began pacing around the small waiting room. "Why the fuck did I have to wait to tell her? I've wasted all this time because I had to make everything fucking perfect and it blew up in my face. I finally tell Bella I am in love with her and she gets hit by some fucking psycho bike messenger."

"They are a hazard to the road," Alice said quietly as I stopped dead in my tracks. I was so infuriated that I couldn't even manage a reply to her that wouldn't have been caustic and mean, so I just kept my mouth shut.

Moments later, Rosalie came back and joined our group, followed by Dr. Bowler, who looked anxious.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" I asked, the pleading tone in my voice making me terrified. I didn't know what I would do if she wasn't okay.

"I'm afraid I can't disclose any specific information about Miss Swan's condition unless any of you are family," the asshole doctor said routinely, as if this was no big deal. I wanted to fucking punch him.

"No, none of us are blood relatives," I seethed, furious and going crazy. "All her goddamn family is 3,000 miles away in Washington. I'm her boyfriend, and we're all her fucking family."

I felt Alice's small hand touch my shoulder, and I jumped slightly at the contact. I knew that my harsh attitude wasn't going to get this doctor to tell me anything, but I needed to know what was wrong with Bella. For my own sanity.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm a nervous wreck here and I just need to know what's wrong with her." He looked at me with understanding in his eyes, and began telling me what was happening.

"We've discovered some internal bleeding and we are taking Miss Swan into surgery momentarily. We've done several ultrasounds and found some irregularities, which we think are caused by abdominal bleeding caused by the impact of the accident. Her unconsciousness was a result of the head trauma she seemed to have suffered, as she has a small bump on the back of her head." Alice then piped up that Bella mentioned hitting her head on a car window during the accident and Dr. Bowler wrote down a few notes before turning back towards us. "Miss Swan was conscious for a few moments and asked for an 'Edward,' but we had to put her under so that we could get her into surgery immediately. They are prepping her now."

"Can I see her?" I asked, my voice sounding completely hopeful as I moved closer to Dr. Bowler.

"I'm guessing you're Edward?" I nodded my head slowly in response as Dr. Bowler motioned with his hand down the hallway. "She's in exam room three. She's unconscious and looks very pale because we believe she's lost a lot of blood. Only take a moment please." I couldn't believe this was real. No less than twelve hours ago, Bella and I were making love in my bed, and now I felt as if I was walking towards my own demise. She had to be okay. She just had to.

I practically ran down the hall and skidded to a stop in front of room three, where I found Bella lying motionless on the bed, hooked up to a few machines. I kept trying to tell myself it looked worse than it really did, but who was I kidding? I was fucking petrified. I cautiously moved to the side of her bed and leaned down to kiss her cheek tenderly, before reaching up to push some of her hair behind her ear.

"You are never allowed to get me groceries again, Bella Swan. Do you hear me? I can't take the chance and lose you," I said, my voice sounded like it belonged to someone else.

_Please remember how I feel about you,  
I could never really live without you.  
So, come on back and see just what you mean to me.  
I need you_

My knees gave out under my weight and I sat in the chair beside her bed, my body shaking in fear. "I finally have you… please don't leave me."


	26. Strawberry Fields Forever

**CPW: We're cutting straight to the point this week. Let's face it, you all wanna know what happened.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight; we do however like to laugh as you guys curse us constantly for our cliffies.**

_Living is easy with eyes closed_

_Misunderstanding all you see._

_-Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles_

**BPOV**

"I told you 'bout Strawberry Fields," Edward sang with a smile and also incredibly off key.

"You know the place where nothing is real?" I countered, swinging my feet in contentment as we sat on one of the benches in Strawberry Fields, in front of the 'Imagine' mosaic. "You're such a dork," I told him with a grin creeping up on my face. However, he was _my_ dork.

"Yep, but you wouldn't have me any other way," he said, leaning in kissing my lips tenderly.

"Nope," I smiled against his kiss, feeling the warm sun shine down upon us.

We were being complete fools, but neither of us cared. It was a beautiful spring day, and the park was glimmering with sunshine and the happy faces of adults and children alike. Beautiful flowers and silken rose petals surrounded the mosaic, and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. Edward and I sat on a bench, hand-in-hand, just enjoying the weather and the music provided by two men playing guitars, who were serenading all of those around Strawberry Fields. It was really very surreal.

"I'll be right back," Edward whispered into my ear. He kissed my cheek softly, getting up with his new Nikon proudly in his grasp. He started snapping pictures of the musicians and the flowers surrounding the words below his feet, and I leaned back into the bench. I pulled my sketchpad from my small, colorful patchwork bag that I carried with me everywhere, because what would a day in the park be if Edward were taking photos and I wasn't sketching? That's like having a peanut butter sandwich, without the jelly. It just doesn't work, because there's nothing to cut the stickiness of the peanut butter. It just doesn't mesh well.

I stared at him, because in my opinion, there were very few things that were sexier than Edward taking photos. I loved to watch him get lost in it, capturing the perfect moment, as he did something he loved so much. I saw the ring on his left hand flicker in the sunlight and I smiled to myself because he wore my ring on his finger every day. I loved the warmth that spread through me when I thought how everyone in the park knew that he was mine. Well, they knew he belonged to someone, but they probably figured it was me, considering we were all over each other from the moment we got into the park earlier in the morning.

I toyed with the two rings on my own finger as I watched him, my diamond and sapphire antique engagement ring bringing a huge grin to my face as I remembered the moment Edward proposed to me, which seemed so long ago. I pulled myself from my memories and turned my attention to the other people in the park, searching for the perfect subject to fill the next page in my sketchpad. I was tempted to just sketch Edward's ass, but I knew I had to focus on something else, so I turned my attention to a little girl, sitting on a nearby bench with her mother, simply enjoying each other's company. I began drawing the pair, getting up and covertly walking around so I could get a closer look.

The wind was caressing my face as I sketched through the stray hairs blowing loose, when I felt a pair of strong arms slid around my waist, and I was startled for a moment until I realized who it was. "Getting any ideas?" Edward asked, rubbing my stomach softly. I left the world of my drawing and everything else snapped back into place as I turned to look into his beautiful green eyes, only to find myself quickly getting lost in those too.

"Yeah, I need to sit down," I said, realizing that I had been standing longer than I thought and my lower back was killing me.

"Okay, babe," Edward said as he grabbed my hand and walked us back to the bench we had been perched on earlier. Well, he walked. I waddled. "Just a few more months," he said with an excited glint in his eyes as he patted my stomach once we sat down.

"I know. We don't even have any names picked out yet," I laughed. I knew we still had plenty of time before our little girl was born, but I was eager to give her a name already.

"Hmm… what about Iris?" he suggested as I started laughing because there was no way he could be serious.

"Iris? Really? You picture yourself calling for 'Iris' when our daughter learns how to walk and tries to do marathons around the house?" I asked playfully.

"Um… well, no. I guess not. How about Daisy?"

"Are you sure you're the one that I let impregnate me? Because you can't be serious," I laughed so hard my side was beginning to hurt.

"I better be," Edward said as he kissed my cheek softly, the slight stubble from his face rubbing gently against me. I rolled my eyes and slapped him upside the head, kissing the top of it as he rested it on my shoulder.

"What's with all the flower names, anyway?" I asked.

Edward shrugged. "It's spring. I was using the atmosphere as inspiration." I smiled and he kissed the tip of my nose. "Daffodil?" he chuckled and I almost hit him again.

"Tulip?" I whispered through my amusement, looking around and spitting out the name of the first flower I saw.

"Rose?" Edward said, before his eyes went wide and I opened my mouth in astonishment.

"Are you kidding? We'll have to beat her ego down with a tire iron if we name our kid 'Rose,'" I shouted. We both broke out into hysterics at the thought of naming our child after one of my best friends. It was just not going to happen.

"Magnolia?" he suggested, hoping to make up for the last one. I screwed up my face at him and stuck my tongue out. "Okay, I guess not," he said, putting his hands out in front of him in mock defense.

"Lilac?" I joked, and Edward's face brightened.

"Lily," he said softly. He stared at me and tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear and smiled.

"Lily," I repeated. "Lily Cullen. Hmmm," I said, pondering the sound of it. "I like it."

Edward began stroking my hand with the pad of his thumb as I instinctively leaned into him. He started to say something, but I couldn't hear him. All I could hear was this loud beeping in my ear.

"Edward? What did you say?" Nothing. Just beeping.

"Bella?"

_Finally. I found his voice, _but it was too far away.

I realized that my eyes weren't even open. They felt so heavy; it was a battle just to lift them.

"Edward?" I said, my voice was scratchy and dry, and my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. When I finally peeled my eyelids open, I was met with a light that was shining far too brightly and I blinked repeatedly as my eyes tried to adjust. I desperately needed to hear his voice again.

"Edward?" I asked again, this time trying to swallow and get some moisture onto my sore throat. My vision was blurry, and I didn't know where I was. The pale white ceiling was foreign to me.

Sadness overwhelmed me when I realized that my thoughts of being at Strawberry Fields weren't real. I had been dreaming.

"Bella, baby?" I heard his voice again. I moved my heavy eyes in the direction of his voice, and I finally saw him. He was hazy, but I knew it was him. It was my Edward. His figure moved closer, and his face became clearer. "You're awake. You're all right. Thank god, I'm so glad you're all right," he said in a whisper, and I could feel his hand stroking my cheek gently. He felt so good; like home.

His face was becoming clearer and I could see the deep lines under his eyes. He looked so tired, but happy, and I couldn't help but wonder why. I took in all of him as best I could. He was sitting on a chair that was as close to my bed as possible, by the look of it, and his hands we grasping mine firmly. Hope was radiating off of him and I could feel it course through my entire body as he smiled at me.

"Hey," I croaked. My throat was still rough, and it felt like it would be like that for a while, because the normally soothing feeling of saliva going down my throat only left a burning sensation in its wake.

"Hey," he said back, leaning towards me slowly, almost like he was being careful, or that he considered me fragile, which was laughable. Edward brought his hand up to my head and began smoothing out my hair gently. I closed my eyes at the comfort his touch brought me and breathed in deeply, trying to remember what had happened, but I couldn't. "Do you remember what happened?" he asked, reading my mind as the crease of worry between his eyebrows deepened as he studied my face.

"No, I'm trying. The last thing I remember is sitting on your front stoop, calling you for help. I remember the pain in my stomach being the worst, but that my head hurt too," I explained, not able to look away from him as I tried to bring my memories back to the surface. "I remember being hit by the bike and hitting my head on the window of a car, but it didn't break, just cracked."

"You've got a bit of a concussion, sweetheart," he said softly. "Let me get the doctor, okay?" I nodded and felt him slip away from the side of my bed. I felt tired, and nothing was hurting, but I suspected that was because I was probably taking copious amounts of pain medication to relieve whatever was wrong with me.

I looked around the hospital room and I saw Rosalie and Emmett, staring at me with huge smiles on their faces.

"Oh, Bella, we're so happy you're awake," Rosalie said gleefully, with a hint of relief in her tone, as they both came closer to the bed now that Edward was no longer occupying the spot. Rose sat down on the end of my bed, and Emmett sat in the chair that Edward had been sitting in a minute before.

"How are you feelin' Baby Bell?" Emmett asked

"I'm okay… I guess. I don't really know what happened, so…" I trailed off as I thought about how serious this could all be. I couldn't help but try and think, try and remember, wondering what had happened to me.

Wondering what time it was.

Wondering what _day_ it was.

Wondering when Edward would come back with the doctor, so he could hold my hand while I found out what had happened.

"What day is it?" I croaked out as Emmett smiled brightly at me for being so curious.

"It's October," he said with a stoic face and my mouth literally dropped in shock. I had been out of it for over a month? I couldn't believe it.

"Emmett, don't be an asshole," Rosalie replied as she smacked him upside the head and he let out a loud laugh.

"I was trying to prove a point. That casting director said I had no range, but in a matter of seconds I went from humor to drama."

"Yeah, but we don't give a shit," Rosalie said with a groan as she turned back towards me and offered a sweet smile. "Don't mind him. I'm having him tested later for brain damage. It's Monday August 30th, babe. You've only been here for two days technically, since you came in on Saturday."

"Thanks," I said with a small sigh as I suddenly found myself wishing Edward was here with me.

As if he knew I was looking for him, Edward walked back into the room, with a man I could only assume was my doctor. Edward sat back down beside my bed, taking my hand once again. "Would you all give Miss Swan and me a moment, so I can fill her in on her condition?" he asked politely. Rosalie and Emmett both nodded, and I looked towards Edward, my panic evident as the beep of the heart monitor increased slightly.

"Can Edward stay, please?" I blurted out. I didn't want him to leave. I needed him there with me in case it wasn't okay. I needed him with me even if it was okay. Edward couldn't leave me. "Please don't leave," I said, looking at Edward, who was becoming blurry again due to the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"That's fine, as long as it's just you," the doctor said, looking at Edward. He nodded and brought our entwined hands to his lips, kissing the back of my hand. Relief flooded through me, calming me from head to toe. Rosalie said she had to get to work, and I insisted that she go now that I was awake, and Emmett walked her out, letting us know that he would be in the waiting room if we needed anything.

"Good evening, Miss Swan. I'm Doctor Robert. You seem to have found yourself in quite the predicament," he said in a casual tone. _Okay. He sounds happy enough. It can't be that bad. Plus, Edward doesn't seem too worried. That's a good sign, right?_

I nodded. "Edward told me I had a concussion?" I said, making it sound like a question in order to confirm this with the doctor. I looked over at Edward, who smiled at me reassuringly.

"Yes. It wasn't too serious, but obviously enough to make you lose consciousness. The impact of the bicycle that hit you also caused internal bleeding in your abdomen. Thankfully it was caught right away, and my surgical team was able to locate its source and stop the bleeding in time," he said.

"I had surgery?" I asked, looking at Edward for confirmation this time. He nodded and brought his hand to my face and stroked my cheek with his thumb.

"Yes, it went quite well and your head injury has improved significantly," Doctor Robert continued. I nodded in understanding and waited for him to elaborate. "Miss Swan, when the bicycle hit you, it broke two of your ribs, one of which lacerated your liver," he said. My eyes widened and I felt tears begin to form in my eyes. I looked at Edward, and he placed his hand on my cheek again.

"It's okay, Bella," he said simply. Those three words calmed me slightly, but I was still panicked, simply because the word 'liver' was involved.

_I was only hit by a bike. How did this happen?_

"There was a small tear in the liver, but we were able to get the bleeding under control once we found its source, and eventually stop it. Right now, all you need to do is rest. You're going to be here for the next few days, so get comfortable," he said, trying to lighten the situation, but it wasn't exactly working. I nodded at the information I was being given, and the doctor walked over to the other side of my bed and began checking to make sure everything was normal.

"So… I'm going to be okay?" I asked nervously.

"Assuming your recovery goes smoothly – which I'm sure it will – yes, you should be fine," Doctor Robert said as he took something small out of his lab coat pocket. "You're a very healthy young woman, Miss Swan, and very lucky, too." I looked past him and back to Edward, thinking that I was lucky for a whole other reason than the one the doctor was suggesting.

He checked the machines first, before lifting my eyelids and checking my eyes. When he was finished assessing me and said I was steadily improving, he told both Edward and I to have a good evening. As he stood by the door about to leave, he reminded me that the nurses would be back every few hours to check my vitals and blood pressure.

Edward and I just sort of stared at each other for a while after Doctor Robert left us. "What are you staring at?" I asked, purely to break the silence.

"You. I can't believe this happened," he began, bringing my hand, which he held tightly in his hand, and kissed it, squeezing his eyes closed as he did so. "Four days ago, we were in a bar, singing karaoke and then confessing our love for each other. Today… you're here," he said, gesturing to my body in the hospital bed. "I just should have gotten groceries," he muttered, and I could hear his voice crack in regret.

"Hey," I whispered, trying to move so I could look into his eyes, but stopped immediately, because even though I was a little doped up on pain medications, I still felt the pressure spreading over the sensitive area of my stomach. "This isn't your fault. It was an accident; they happen. Especially to people like me, so I don't want you worrying your pretty little head about it, because I don't blame you. I never could," I lectured, feeling ridiculous that he would blame himself for something like this. "I'm okay. I'm going to be fine. You heard the doctor say that not five minutes ago," I told him, bringing my hand over to his head, which was resting on my bed, and running it through his hair as he kissed my hand again.

"I hope so," he murmured. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't okay. I love you," he whispered. "So much."

"I love you, too." I didn't think those three words could express how I felt about him at that moment, looking at him sitting at my bedside. I noticed Edward yawn and felt remorseful, wondering if he had managed any sleep at all since I had been in the hospital. The dark circles under his eyes answered my question for me.

"You look tired."

"I'm fine, really, Bella. Knowing you are going to be okay gives me my second wind. However, I'm gonna go get a coffee, okay?" Edward said next to me. I smiled at him and nodded slightly as he leaned forward to kiss me before walking from the room. Not two minutes after Edward had left and I had attempted to adjust myself to get comfortable in the hospital bed, Alice walked in.

With my mother.

"Mom?" I asked, alarmed yet completely happy to see her.

"Oh, baby! I was so worried about you," she said, sitting down at the end of my bed and placing her hand on my leg.

"We all were," Alice confirmed. I looked towards my best friend with gratitude before turning back to face Renee.

"When did you get here?"

"About five minutes ago. Alice and Jasper picked me up from the airport," she said, obviously excited that I was awake now that she was here. I looked up at Alice for conformation, but she just smiled. Surely she had seen Edward leaving the hospital room, and I realized that I was going to have to introduce Edward to my mother, which was something I hadn't planned to do for a little while yet.

"You didn't have to fly all the way out here," I started to say, but she cut me off before I could say anything more.

"Nonsense, Isabella. You're my daughter; of course I am here! Your father would have come, too if he wasn't still recovering from his heart attack," she said. "Silly girl," she muttered with a small smile. "Anyway, the flight here wasn't all bad. I sat next to the loveliest woman who was very supportive of all the tears I shed."

I rolled my eyes at her. "I'm glad you're here, Mom." We smiled at each other in silent understanding. We spent the next ten minutes talking, with me telling my mother exactly what happened. I was glad that Dr. Robert had been in earlier so that I could explain it in detail, because a lot of it was still fuzzy to me. Just as my mother pulled back from another hug, I looked up towards the door and there stood Edward.

"Um Mom…." I said anxiously as she looked up at me and then glanced at the door, open mouth staring at Edward. "This is Edward, my boyfriend." I gestured towards him with a nod of my head. "Edward… meet Renee, my mom."

"So, Edward is it?" she asked as she stood and crossed the room, extending her hand to Edward, who graciously accepted it.

"Yes Ma'am," he said with a small smile as I nodded at their exchange. It was probably a combination of my emotions and the drugs, but I felt a goofy smile spread across my face at the mention of his name.

"You love my daughter, don't you?"

"Very much so, Mrs…"

"Please, call me Renee, or Mom could work too," she said with a wink as I shook my head slowly from side to side. She really was relentless.

"Yes Renee, I love your daughter."

"I can tell by the way her face lit up when you walked in the room that she loves you, too."

"Yes, I love Edward too, Mom," I said wistfully, thinking of the night at the bar, walking the streets and hearing Edward say he loved me. This was slightly embarrassing though, having to admit to my mother that I was in love with Edward mere days after I told him myself.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that, Bella. I was worried that your father and I really did a number on you," she said as she came back to sit beside me and gently moved a wayward hair from my face.

"It's okay, Mom I just needed to learn that I Edward and I didn't have to be you and Dad." I felt the dampness on my cheek, as the saline guilt traveled down my face. I knew saying that hurt my mother, but it was true, and she knew it.

"Don't cry, baby girl. You're right, your father and I did the wrong thing by staying together for your sake when we clearly weren't in love anymore. All we want for you is to not repeat our mistakes."

"I love you, Mom."

**EPOV**

The worst part of all of this, for me, was the not knowing. Pacing around the waiting room, drinking coffee with no taste and listening to Alice tell me to get some sleep was grating on my nerves. I knew I had snapped at all of my friends on more than one occasion, but I was relieved because they just brushed it off, knowing damn well that I was on the edge of breaking down completely.

I struggled to fight back tears when they wheeled Bella off to surgery so they could try and stop her internal bleeding. Dr. Bowler and Dr Robert, her surgeon, had explained to me that Bella had lacerated her liver, which was caused by one of her two broken ribs, resulting in the internal bleeding and blood loss. Bella also suffered from a concussion and some intense bruising from the effects of the force of the bike.

I shivered at the thought of Bella's small body being hit by someone who was in such a rush to get wherever the hell they were going, that they couldn't be bothered to watch out for someone in the street.

They had done a CT scan to confirm the severity of everything, and took her into surgery immediately after the diagnosis was confirmed. When everything was said and done in the operating room, the doctor reassured us that her surgery was successful. She was still out from the anesthesia and they were taking her into the intensive care unit to recover. I breathed a sigh of relief, but I knew she wasn't out of the woods. In fact, I knew I would still worry about her until she was out of the hospital.

When Bella finally woke while I was holding vigil beside her bed, I was so ecstatic, I literally thought I was going to jump up and do a crazy dance or something. My heart soared the moment my name fell from her rough voice, but just knowing she was awake made the pain from the past few days melt away.

Of course, everything was thrown into a tailspin when I came back from getting coffee and discovered Bella's mother sitting at her bed side. To be honest, I didn't even know she was coming. I knew Alice had been in conversations with her, but I had been so focused on Bella that I hadn't even thought about anything else.

Renee was surprisingly sweet considering she had never heard anything from Bella about me. It seemed Bella was of the same mind where I was concerned, why tell the parents something when you weren't sure what the hell was going on with us? Hell, if my mother knew I was dating someone, she'd be out registering for China. We chatted amiably and Renee filled us in on Charlie's recovery back in Forks. It seemed that Phil, Renee's current husband, had agreed to keep watch over Charlie while Renee flew here to be with Bella. The girls both laughed at the vision of the men sitting down and awkwardly watching sports together. I felt a little anxious about the situation, but Renee insisted that the men actually got along wonderfully and I would see it first hand at Thanksgiving.

"Umm… Thanksgiving?" Bella asked nervously as I moved to the other side of her bed and sat on the edge, stroking her hair softly.

"Of course Thanksgiving, Bella. You and Edward have to come back to Forks. Now that you have someone special in your life, your father should meet him."

"I'm willing to go if you want me to, Bella," I said gently as she leaned her head into my touch and I noticed her eyes drooping slightly. She was tired, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her to rest just yet. Seeing her radiate life again made her recovery that much more real to me.

"Let's talk about it closer to the date, alright? I mean, it's almost September. November is a while away."

"That's fine Bella," Renee said sweetly as she looked between Bella and I repeatedly, a huge smile on her face.

"I think Bella is getting tired. I'm going to head out to the waiting room for a bit. Why don't you and your mom talk a little bit more and I'll come back in a bit, alright?" Bella nodded her head slowly in response as Renee got up and gave me a huge and rather unexpected hug.

"Thanks, Edward."

"I'd do anything for your daughter, Renee. I hope you can believe me." Renee simply smiled graciously and I kissed Bella's forehead before walking out the hospital room to go see my friends.

When I walked back into the waiting room, Emmett was sitting in one of the uncomfortable chairs, looking suspiciously anxious. Alice and Jasper were nowhere to be found, but he informed me that they had just gone to get something to drink. "Stop stressing, Bella is going to be fine," I said in reassurance as he looked up and still didn't seem placated.

"I did something."

"What did you do?" I asked, my nervousness seeping through my voice. It was never good when Emmett was quiet. In fact, it usually meant that something major was about go down, so I immediately got my defenses up.

"It was nothing… well… it was something, but it was nothing that I could help." I narrowed my eyes at him in disbelief. Emmett knew he had to keep talking or else I might shoot him for being so vague. "So yesterday when you were out getting a coffee, your cell phone rang. I may have been a little intrigued because the Imperial Death March came on and you know I can't resist that song."

"You talked to my mother?"

"First of all, nice ring tone for your mom, my friend. Well played."

"Drop the idle ramblings, Emmett. What did you do?"

"I answered it, purely by accident, but you know your mom has this strange power over me. She knows all my thoughts and feelings just by getting me on the other end of the phone." I growled in frustration and Emmett finally decided to get to the damn point. "So anyway… I may have told her your girlfriend was in an accident and was hanging on by a thread, and that you were falling apart." He spoke so quickly I hoped that I was wrong in what I had heard, however, from the look of sheer remorse on his face, I could tell I wasn't wrong. He had told my mom about Bella. Hell, I hadn't even told my mother about her yet. This was not good.

"What did she say?"

"Well, it turns out she was in Seattle with your dad for some medical conference." My sigh of relief came to a screeching halt when I heard the tell tale clacking of expensive high heels come into the room. The overwhelming scent of her Chanel No. 5 permeated the entire space, and I could already sense her presence. I immediately tensed. "Oh… and she might have mentioned something about flying out immediately to see you."

I turned around slowly and found my mother glued in place, her arms open wide as she urged me to come to her. I sighed and crossed the room, wrapping my arms tightly around her and then she did something that surprised the hell out of me. She cried.

"I wish you had told me you had fallen in love, Edward," she said as she pulled back from me and wiped the tears from her eyes. It was so different for me to see such emotion from my mother that I actually had to go and sit down out of fear that my knees would buckle. "Emmett told me about Bella. She sounds like a lovely girl, though I wish I had heard about her from you."

"It was complicated until a few days ago, Mom," I said genuinely as she sat beside me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder in a supportive gesture, and rested her head against me.

"Yeah, Emmett mentioned that too."

I lifted my head and glanced up at Emmett who was simply shrugging his shoulders. "Okay, so maybe I took the phone and stepped outside to have an hour long conversation with your mother while helping her book her flight here. Did you know she loves the Golden Girls?" he asked with a wide grin as I shook my head and took comfort in the fact that my mother was with me, even though I wasn't used to her being so comforting. "She also flew coach to get here and see you. That's a huge concession for your mother. You should be grateful."

"Shut it, Emmett. I'm not angry, okay? I wish you had mentioned something sooner though. I mean, I just met Bella's mom and now Bella gets to meet mine. It wasn't exactly the way I had planned to do this," I said stoically as my mother clutched at my shoulder tightly.

"When did you plan for me to meet Bella anyway? I mean… you hadn't even mentioned her during any of our recent conversations." My mother sounded genuinely upset that I had decided to keep Bella a secret, unsure of where things were going with us.

"Our wedding?" I said with a laugh and a small shrug of my shoulders. My mother looked at me disapprovingly, knowing full well she would never allow that to happen. She would never just let me get married without her meeting the girl and doing a full background check first.

"Who's getting married?" Alice questioned as she walked in at that very moment with Jasper and Renee. There was a flash of recognition between Renee and my mother that was noticed by everyone, and before I could introduce them, my mother was standing up and hugging Bella's mom. It was very surreal.

"Umm… what the hell is going on here?" I asked incredulously. Just when I thought this day was fresh out of curve balls, another one got thrown in my direction.

Renee and Esme both started laughing and it was a little disconcerting. Until they spoke and everything made perfect sense. "Renee and I sat beside each other on the flight from Seattle. How ironic is it that we were consoling each other over our tragedies, only to find out that… and I hope I'm getting this right, but I'm assuming your Bella is Edward's Bella?" my mother questioned as she looked at Renee, smiling brightly.

"It's like some shit right out of the Twilight Zone," Emmett stated as Renee nodded happily.

"How odd indeed. I spent the entire flight pouring my heart out to Esme about my concerns about my only daughter, only to find out that my daughter is her son's girlfriend. Could you have ever imagined, Esme?" Renee asked my mother with a grin as the two women sat down side by side and began talking animatedly, like they had known each other for ages. "Could you imagine if Edward and Bella got married? We'd be in-laws." I blanched for a second as the women started to cackle cheerfully about the entire messed up situation. Our mothers were acting like best friends, Bella was sleeping in her recovery room and I was stuck here, unwilling to leave her.

"I'm so glad Emmett made me fly coach," my mother enthused as the women continued to talk as though they were the oldest of friends. It was just weird.

"Well, it looks like you don't have to worry about your families getting along," Alice said with a small smile as she sat down beside me.

"I wonder if Renee likes the Golden Girls as much as Esme does?" questioned Emmett as I grabbed a Sports Illustrated and flung it at his head out of frustration. "Dude… I've already read this one." I rolled my eyes at Emmett, and asked my mother if she wanted to come with me to Bella's room to see if she was awake. I figure we might as well get this whole thing over with. Like a band-aid, right?

When we walked in, I could see that Bella was in fact awake, and she looked lonely. Her face lit up when she saw me, but it was quickly masked with confusion once she saw my mother. "Hey, I didn't know you were awake," I said, walking over and kissing her smiling lips.

"I just woke up, actually. It wasn't really easy to rest, knowing you were just down the hall," she muttered. I looked over at my mother, who was positively beaming at Bella's words.

"Well I'm here now… and I'd like you to meet… my mother," I mumbled. Bella's eyes, which had been mere slits, widened in surprise. "Emmett spoke to her and told her what happened," I clarified.

"Oh, okay. Well, it's nice to meet you," Bella said politely. She looked as if she was trying to sit up, but I was quick to put a stop to that.

"Baby, sit still. The doctor said you need to rest, okay?" She made a cute scowl face at me and I smiled, having more confidence judging by her demeanor that she was going to be fine.

"It's lovely to meet you, Bella. Although I wish it were under different circumstances," my mother said as she sat down beside Bella. She looked back and forth between Bella and me before leaning over and giving Bella a small hug. Bella returned it graciously, sneaking a peek at me over my mother's shoulder and smiling.

The three of us talked for a little while, and Bella laughed hysterically at the fact that our mothers had met on the plane. It seemed as though we were going to have quite the team of meddlers to fight off. At Bella's encouragement, I headed back to my apartment for a shower and a quick nap. She insisted that she was just going to sleep for the rest of the day anyway, and our mothers were going back to my mother's hotel together. Apparently they were going to share my mother's suite and spend the night down at the hotel bar.

Although I had gotten a few hours sleep in the chair in Bella's room, I really hadn't had a full night's rest since her accident, and that was two days earlier. I hadn't even been back to my apartment since the morning of the accident, because Jasper had gone back to get me some clothes. I hadn't wanted to leave Bella until I knew she was completely out of the woods, which her doctors assured me was the case now. Since it was simply a waiting game until she was released, I decided rest was in order, and I passed out the moment my head hit the pillow. Bella's scent still lingered from the last night we had spent together, and pulled me under.

When I woke up, it was the next day and I had three missed voicemails, all from my mother, who was drunk off her ass. What the hell was going on?

"_Edward honey… pick up the phone. Renee and I want to know if you are ever going to propose to Bella."_

"_Edward… I know this is your phone number; I have you on speed dial. Renee and I think you and Bella would make gorgeous little babies. We both want to be grandmothers."_

"_Eddddwaarddd… we love you so much Edward. Your dad and I are so proud of you. _ At this point I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness, because it was clear my mother was crying on the other end of the phone. The thing that made it funny though was that she was in public, because I could hear the noise of the bar and Renee behind her. _We're so glad you found someone, and after spending the night with Renee, I know Bella is perfect for you baby. We want Grandbabies."_

I tossed my phone onto the counter, deciding to have a conversation with my mother later regarding drunk dialing me when she was out drinking with her friends. It still seemed so surreal to me, my cool and stoic mother, though absolutely loving, was suddenly best friends with my girlfriend's mom. Unbelievable.

I opened the fridge to find something for dinner and cursed loudly, because if I had managed to pick up some damn groceries earlier in the week, rather than just eating myself out of house and home, this entire situation would have been avoided. I ran up to the bathroom and showered quickly before going across the street to Common Grounds and getting myself a coffee and a muffin to go. Within minutes of leaving the shop, I was in a cab and on my way to St. Vincents.

When I walked in, Bella's entire face lit up and I was more than relieved to see the color had come back to her face. She looked beautiful. "Hey sweetheart," I said as I walked towards her and rested my cup on her nightstand before leaning down to kiss her. "You look really good."

"I could say the same for you. You certainly smell better," she said with a small laugh as she looked at my coffee cup longingly. "So Dr. Robert and Dr. Bowler were in here this morning." She sounded optimistic and happy, and I hoped this wasn't some false act she was putting on for me so that I didn't have a breakdown. I knew Alice had confided to her how rough it had been for me while she was unconscious.

"What did they have to say? Something promising, I hope."

"I may get to go home tomorrow. At least, they say if I keep progressing the way I am then they are sending me home, although I'll have to be on bed rest for a few days."

"Who's going to look after you if you go home?" I asked frantically. Alice and Rosalie both had demanding jobs and unsteady hours, so I knew they weren't the most reliable, and Bella needed a lot of attention, especially since there was no way she would be able to sit still. She was already restless here.

"I'll be fine, Edward. Between the girls, you and my mom, I'm sure I will recover in no time flat. Alice mentioned us going down to the Jersey Shore for a long weekend in September, so I will be ready by then, I promise."

"You're coming home with me."

"Excuse me?" she stammered slightly as her face blushed a beautiful shade of pink I never thought I would see again.

"No fighting this. I work from home and I can keep an eye on you constantly. You can either rest in my bed or on the couch in the living room. I can make you healthy meals, once I go shopping today of course, and you can draw, or paint or whatever from the comfort of my place," I said sternly as Bella gave me a half-hearted smile.

"What if I say no?"

"It's not even up for discussion, Bella. I can take much better care of you than the girls can," I said simply as Bella quirked her eyebrow, her mind no doubt going somewhere sexually. I was having a hard time putting away those thoughts myself now that I knew she was going to be all right. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Swan. Anyways, I think our mothers were planning to head back home tomorrow or the next day, depending on when you get out the hospital. Seriously, who is better equipped to take care of you than me?"

"Fine."

"Seriously?"

"Yes… it's fine. I'll stay with you for a few days until I am back on my feet, Edward."

"I'm shocked," I said with a devilish grin. "No bitching or complaining?"

"None whatsoever. In fact, I'm already envisioning you giving me a sponge bath and carrying me bridal style up the stairs to your bedroom." Then she winked.

_She's gotta stop that shit until she can follow through with her innuendoes._

"That makes two of us," I said simply as my mind went against my will and into overdrive, envisioning her naked in my bathtub, my hands and a washcloth gently moving over her body… between her legs.

"Okay, you can stop with the day dreaming, pervert."

"You mentioned it first," I said with a resigned sigh as I leaned in again and kissed her, this time with a little more force as my fingers worked their way through the hair at the back of her neck. "Now make a list of your art supplies you want me to bring over so I'll have them ready for you. You will want for nothing when you're staying with me."

"I want for nothing now, Edward. I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

**A/N: CPW: See, that wasn't so bad was it?**

**FLB11: I'm a wussperv, so I thought it was harmless. Then again, I can't take the angst when I'm reading, but I thrive on it when I'm writing.**

**CPW: That's just fucked up.**

**FLB11: Meh. It's all good in my opinion. You know what else I think is all good… A Beautiful Mess by Risbee and my girl coldplaywhore. No seriously… it's cute, funny, awkward and has some extremely funny moments with Renee and Esme. **

**CPW: **blushes profusely****

**FLB11: Yeah, but go read it on Risbee's profile. I like her more. You know the routine, remove the brackets and replace with proper punctuation. www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/5560057/1/A_Beautiful_Mess**

**CPW: *grumbles* whatever. Thanks for reading, now review.**


	27. Here, There and Everywhere

**FLB11: We're back!**

**CPW: I know, a little later in the day than I hoped to update.**

**FLB11: Well, I've had homework to do and you have that pesky family to endure.**

**CPW: Don't remind me.**

**FLB11: We will remind you however that the Fandom Gives Back auctions are quickly approaching and I am auctioning off 7 banners.**

**CPW: I'm offering up 3 original one shots or outtakes from any of my stories, this includes MIFFY, which FLB11 will write with me. **

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight, or the Beatles for that matter; one of us is cheering for the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Go Habs!**

**CPW: We also have the best beta ever, MaggieMay14. We love her like we love the Beatles, Hockey, NASCAR and Rob Pattinson.**

**EPOV**

"Hey baby… did you know the words 'pumper' and 'nickel' in German, loosely translate to 'fart goblin'?"

I looked up from the sandwich I was making at the kitchen counter and stared at Bella incredulously. Her back was turned to me, but I could see her shoulders shaking in laughter. I could only hope that she wasn't hurting her injury and stitches by trying to hide her laughter. "Are you serious?"

"Howard just said that to some chick named Summer on The Big Bang Theory. Apparently, he also dreamed of going ice skating with her, twirling her around by her ankles until her legs came off and she turned into a giant loaf of pumpernickel bread."

"I was worried there for a second that you were looking up some random shit on Urban Dictionary or something," I said as I finished making her the BLT sandwich she requested and brought it over to the couch where Bella had been taking residence for the past two days. Bella had been anxious at first, and I may have hovered over her a little too much for her liking, but I was just insistent on her getting better. Preferably sooner rather than later.

"Ooh, Urban Dictionary. I hadn't thought of that one," she said with a grin as I kissed her temple and pulled the laptop from her lap, so I could hand her the plate with her sandwich, potato chips and the glass of water I insisted she have to wash it all down. "Aren't you having lunch?" she asked as she took a big bite of her sandwich and I sat in a chair opposite of her, smiling brightly.

"I will when I get hungry, which I am not right now," I said simply as Bella just shrugged her shoulders and took another bite.

Before Bella was released from the hospital, Alice and I went over to their house, and together we gathered up a large collection of things we knew Bella would want for her recuperation period. My small apartment was now covered in art supplies, small canvases, sketchbooks and a surprisingly large amount of colorful pillows and blankets. I had no idea Bella owned so many patchwork quilts, but I seriously thought we brought over like five of them from the apartment. Then again, perhaps they were multiplying at night while Bella and I rested comfortably in my bed.

We had worked into a decent routine, with Bella napping in the middle of the afternoon while I did some work for the greeting card company. I had also been working on something for her while she slept every day, using some of her sketches that I'd found in her apartment, putting them together with some of my photos.

My boss was a little more than aggravated with me for missing two important deadlines because of Bella's hospitalization, but I really didn't give a shit. In fact, the more I spent time with Bella on a regular basis, the more I wondered about the direction my life was heading. Did I really want to continue to do this greeting card shit as a means to an end? Bella was doing great with her art as her main focus in life, and I'm sure she didn't really need the money after her recent art shows, but I knew she was doing the dog walking thing just because she enjoyed it. I loved doing photography, but could I make a full time job out of it?

"Can I ask you something?" I questioned, looking up from my twisting hands on my lap. Bella let out a slight grunt, since she had a mouthful of chips, and then she nodded as I looked at her, a smile growing slowly on my face. She really was the best thing that had ever happened to me, regardless of the pure fuckery it took us to get to this point. "Are you happy?"

"With you?" she asked with a mouth full of food. I had to stifle a laugh to keep the seriousness of my question as a few chips flew from her mouth, and she raised her hand to stop it from getting too messy.

"No… I meant in general. I am pretty sure you're happy with me, right?" Bella nodded her head eagerly as she took a sip of her drink and I realized that in the middle of her lunch was probably not the best time to be grilling her about her life. "It's just… these past few days of being with you 24/7 have made me reconsider what makes me happy. I also realized, somewhat late mind you, that I hate doing that greeting card job."

"Then quit."

"The best idea I've had all month has been 'I'm sorry I spent more time with your friend during our threesome.'" Bella laughed loudly, a little snort following, and I couldn't help it as my heart filled with more love for her. Something I didn't even know was possible. "What's worse is that I was supposed to be working on sentiments for condolence cards. People are dying and I'm apologizing for threesomes instead. What the hell does this say about me?"

"I certainly hope it doesn't mean you want a threesome," Bella said with a small chuckle as I moved to sit beside her, draping her feet over my lap and rubbing them gently.

"Of course I don't want a threesome."

"No necrophilia either, right?" she asked with another snort as I just rolled my eyes at her. If it wasn't for the fairly strong meds I knew she was taking for her injuries, I would be seriously concerned about her mental capabilities. "Right?"

"No, Bella. I am not into necrophilia either," I said with a groan as she smiled brightly at me in return.

"Anyways, quit the greeting card company. You must have some money in savings right?" she asked as I nodded my head slowly. "Well, quit and focus all of your energy on advancing your photography. Let's work on getting you a portfolio and then start peddling your shit all over the city. Jacob probably has some contacts that we can get in touch with it."

I cringed at the mention of Jacob and thought back to the last time I saw him. He hadn't exactly been pleased with me. "Umm… I don't really think Jacob will be willing to help me, Bella. After all, the last time I saw him, I had just finished fucking you on his couch."

"Oh don't worry about him," she said with a flippant wave of her hand. "He didn't give a shit. He did however make his assistant clean the couch thoroughly the next day. Jake actually told me he was glad someone got screwed that night." I noticed Bella stop abruptly and shake her head, knowing full well we had gotten into a huge fight regarding that night and it was something neither of us wanted to reflect on.

"Anyway…"

"Right… I'll talk to Jake and we'll go see him once you have a portfolio in place. I'm sure he will be a great help, Edward." I wanted to hug her, but I knew that it would probably just aggravate her stitches, so I got up and kissed her temple instead, as she looked at the television with a huge smile on her face. "Ooh, this is the episode where Leonard's mom visits and meets Penny! Come watch with me?"

"I wish I could, baby," I replied as I ran my fingers through her hair, stroking it softly. I pulled the plate from her lap and helped her get comfortable before walking back towards the kitchen to do some dishes, my small appetite now completely gone. "I think there's something I need to do."

I paced around the kitchen nervously, cleaning off the dishes and scrubbing down the counter, before I could hear the soft snores of Bella from the living room. I turned off the TV and pulled the quilt up over her, before I settled down in a chair in the living room with my laptop perched on my lap and began trying to type up my letter of resignation.

It did not go easily, because I kept writing rather nasty comments about my current boss, and that really wasn't the point of this. I didn't want to burn my bridges at the company in case things didn't turn out well with the whole photography as an actual career thing. So, I scratched ten different versions of the letter and thanked god I wasn't trying to write this by hand because I would have taken down a giant redwood in my efforts. When I finally decided to just give it up and stop overanalyzing everything, I sent the email with my letter attached and breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to move forward with my life, and as I looked over at the beautiful girl on my couch, I knew I wouldn't have been able to do this without her in my life.

"Hey sleepyhead, I see you finally woke up," I said with a grin as I heard the timer go off on the dryer. Yeah, I had even done some laundry while she had been asleep. In the three hours she had rested, I had not heard back anything from my boss.

"What time is it?" she asked as she rubbed her hands over her eyes and let out a wince, no doubt from stretching slightly.

"It's just after five in the afternoon. How are you feeling?" I moved closer to the couch and crouched down beside her as she yawned and tried to stretch again, to no avail.

"I feel like I've been cut open," she said with a sigh as I kissed her lips gently. "You look… what's that look on your face? It's new."

"It's relief I think," I said with a grin. "I emailed my resignation to my boss while you were sleeping. I'm kinda giddy about it actually."

"That's great baby, but I really gotta take a whiz."

"I would claim that was an over share, but considering I've been helping you for two days now, let's get to it," I said with a small smile as I lifted her up from the couch and we walked towards the powder room on the main floor with my arm wrapped under hers as I tried to steady her.

When we came back from the bathroom, the phone in my living room began to ring and I guided Bella back to her seat on the couch, letting the call go to voicemail. When I finally listened to the message a few minutes later, I was shocked by what I found.

"_Edward, it's your mother. Why aren't you at home? Aren't you usually at home during the day? Is everything alright with Bella?" _she said anxiously. I had the call on speakerphone and Bella and I both began to laugh slightly as her ramblings continued on. _"I was talking to Renee today, actually I talk to her everyday now that our children are together. Anyways, Renee told me Bella sounded tired on the phone when she spoke to her last night, so I just wanted to make sure things were going alright with her recovery. I don't want anything to aggravate the prospects of her carrying the next generation Cullen. We all know your cousin Mark is the only other person who can carry on the family name, and since he's a huge fan of Barry Manilow, we all know that won't be happening."_

Bella looked at me with a nervous smile on her face, no doubt thinking the entire Cullen legacy now rested on her uterus, thanks to the frantic mumblings of my mother. I shook my head and we listened as my mother let out a small breath and then continued again.

"_Anyways, enough about his preference for the same sex… please call me and reassure me that everything is alright. You two aren't having sex are you, because your father said Bella could tear her stitches if that was to happen too early. Call me."_

"Oh my fuck… what is wrong with your mother?"

"I wish I knew, baby, I wish I knew. I promise I will talk to her soon and let her know not to plan on decorating a nursery any time soon. She's a little over zealous sometimes."

"I doubt spending time talking to my mother is helping any," Bella replied as I sat down on the couch behind her and pulled her against my chest, reveling in being so close to her for the first time since we had woken up. "We're really not the last chance to have a Cullen are we? Not that we're anywhere close to having kids, I was just curious. Is it all on your shoulders?"

"Well, since Mark won't be having kids, unless he adopts, I think so. But on the bright side, one of my female cousins could have a baby out of wedlock and it could be a Cullen, right?"

"I don't really think that is considered 'looking on the bright side,' Edward."

"Let's just consider it a bright side for us. Plus, then my mother will leave us alone for five minutes about giving her a grandchild when we've just started dating, technically."

"Baby, I don't think anything could make your mother leave us alone now."

**BPOV**

I looked over at Edward with an admiring smile. I didn't really understand what spending time with me really had to do with why he wanted to quit his greeting card job, but I was ecstatic about it. He seemed so happy.

"Wanna watch a movie?" he asked after a few moments of me being in awe of him.

I pursed my lips. "Hmm… depends on what movie. No gore. I don't think I can take it," I said dramatically. Edward chuckled and kissed my cheek, getting up to survey the movies he had in his collection.

"What about Across the Universe?" he asked with a knowing grin on his face.

I smiled right back at him. "You _do _love me," I said as I almost jumped up and down in excitement.

"Yup, I do," he said once he put the DVD in the player and sat down behind me again. I scooted up the couch a bit so Edward had room, and leaned back against his chest, turning slightly so I could better see the screen.

I couldn't remember anything after 'Let it Be,' that is until I felt Edward nudging me gently as the end credits rolled on the screen. "What'd I miss?" I asked, wiping my eyes. Edward laughed and rubbed my shoulder gently.

"Oh, only the whole movie."

"I did not! I saw all the way up till…. Oh, wait. I did." I giggled at my deliriousness as Edward prodded me softly to let me know he needed to get up. He sauntered over to the DVD player and put the movie back in its case, before re-shelving it.

"Did you want to go straight for bed? It's only like, eight thirty, but if you're tired…" he trailed off, waiting for me to tell him what I wanted to do, since pretty much any option involved him helping me in some way. Not that I minded having his hands on me.

I shook my head. "Well, I was kind of hoping you'd give me another bath." I bit down on my lip, looking at Edward and trying to survey his reaction. I knew that since I was getting better, he'd been having a hard time controlling himself. No pun intended.

Believe me, I was having just as much of a hard time as he was. I wanted him so badly. I needed to feel him again, and although we were together most of the time, every day, I wanted him closer. It felt like it had been forever since he'd made love to me.

"We can do that," Edward said after a moment. We smiled at each other before he moved back over to the couch and helped me up. We walked slowly to the foot of the stairs that led up to his bedroom. Edward turned and bent down, swiftly placing one of his arms underneath my knees and lifting me up. I giggled as he did this, much like I did every night before we headed to bed. "I'll never understand what you find so funny about this," he mumbled as he carefully climbed the stairs.

"It's not that I find it funny. It's enjoyable. It makes me happy that you care enough about me to do this every night," I said as I ran my fingers through his hair. We made it to the top of the stairs and Edward set me down, fixing his arm around my waist so I didn't fall.

"Well, nearly risking both of our lives is worth it to have you in my bed every night," he said, kissing the tip of my nose. I giggled again, but shoved him playfully and rolled my eyes because of his ridiculous reasoning. "Come on, Miss. It's time to get you cleaned up," he said in a mock authoritative voice.

"I'm pretty sure that the thoughts that will be running through your head will negate all the cleaning you do," I said with a snicker.

"Ha ha," he said, the sarcasm oozing from his voice. I almost felt bad for teasing him, but it was almost too easy.

"Well you won't be the only one," I mumbled as we made our way to the bathroom.

Edward turned the water on, placing his hand under the stream of water to make sure it was at the right temperature. I pulled my camisole off in one fluid motion, wincing a little at the pain in my side and then I slid my panties and sweatpants down my legs before sitting down on the edge of the tub next to Edward.

I kissed him softly, silently thanking him for all he had done for me in the past few days, hell, the past week. I reached down and tugged on the hem of his shirt, wanting to take it off so he didn't get it wet or anything. He complied, moving his face from mine so he could get the shirt over his head.

I sat down in the tub once it had a decent amount of water in it, sighing blissfully when my body registered that it was the perfect temperature. Just the right amount of warm so that my body relaxed the moment I sat down. Part of me wished that I could just give myself a goddamn bath, but the other part was absolutely ecstatic that Edward was doing it for me. Something about the way he did it made me feel so loved and cared for.

We didn't speak as Edward kneeled down beside the bathtub, grabbing the loofa and squeezed some of my orange citrus body wash onto it. I inhaled deeply as soon as he began rubbing it across my body, slowly, but without the intense intimacy that would accompany his actions if it had been a normal situation. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed.

He carefully maneuvered around my stitches, making sure he didn't brush across them with the harsh plastic of the loofa. He moved it over my back before rinsing it off and taking a cup we had resting by the tub he scooped some water from the tub and rinsed my body. This was the point where I usually started to feel useless, but I was too afraid to move around enough to be able to wash myself. That's what I kept telling myself.

Edward dipped the cup again, but this time he placed it at my hairline, and carefully poured the water into my hair. It felt so soothing, and I was starting to feel more relaxed than I had all day, even after my nap. I wasn't sure if it was the hot water streaming and trickling down my head and back that was calming me, or if it was Edward's touch, but either way I was happy. When he was finished washing and rinsing my hair, he ran some conditioner through it and the way he massaged my head almost made me fall asleep against the edge of the tub.

"Come on, baby, up you go," he said as he placed one hand under my arm and helped me stand. I was careful not to slip as I held onto Edward's bare shoulders and stepped from the tub. He was looking at my feet as I moved, and as soon as I was steady, I looked at him, silently compelling him to look back.

"Hey," I finally said. Edward met my eyes and I smiled, kissing him softly, but pouring all of my love and gratitude into it as best I could.

He pulled away with a low groan. "You can't kiss me like that. Not when you're dripping wet, naked and there's nothing I can do about it," he said jokingly. I giggled and kissed him again, simply because I couldn't help it, and of course he didn't object. He laid his head against my shoulder and held me for a moment, which was something we hadn't really done since I came home from the hospital. Of course we'd lie down during the day and slept together at night. We would also snuggle and cuddle and all of that ridiculous amazing stuff that two people in love just naturally do, but we hadn't simply held each other in a moment where we both needed to.

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you," he murmured against my shoulder. I stroked his hair in an unspoken tribute to what he'd just done for me.

Eventually, Edward wrapped me up in a warm fuzzy towel, and we walked back to his bedroom. I changed into a camisole, a pair of boyshorts, and I threw on a pair of red and white knee high socks for good measure.

"What the devil are you wearing, woman?" Edward asked with raised eyebrows when he took in my appearance.

"Um, pajamas?" I asked rhetorically.

"You're ridiculous. Those are _not_ pajamas. Those are a torture device," he said as he rolled his eyes and I climbed unsteadily into his bed, which had come to be my new favorite place. I pouted at him before he spoke again. "But it's adorable. It reminds me of the first time I saw you at Common Grounds. You were wearing a pair just like those."

Holy Shit. "You remember that?" I really wanted to jump on top of him and have my way with him for remembering what I was wearing the first time we met, but I had to fight every muscle and ache in my body not to do it. Edward nodded and I smiled lovingly at him.

He grabbed the package of gauze from the nightstand, along with the tube of Neosporin, which he carefully spread over my stitches after moving my shirt out of the way. It tickled a little, but I tried not to laugh because I knew it would hurt like a bitch. Once he finished making sure it was clean, he placed the gauze over my stitches, securing it with medical tape. He leaned in and kissed the bandage one he was done and looked up to meet my gaze as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"I have something for you," he said after a few moments of silence. He moved over to his closet and grabbed something square and flat, but I couldn't tell exactly what it was from where I was perched on the bed. Upon closer inspection, once he was closer, I could see that it was a picture frame, about 8x10 by the looks of it.

"What is this?" I asked as I took it, leaning it towards my body so I could see what was in the frame. I let out a small gasp when I saw it.

It was a small collage, made up of one of my sketches from a day I had gone to the park a few months ago, a picture of a tulip and one of me from the day we had gone to the park when we first met, and my favorite, one of the two of us, Edward kissing my cheek the night before he left for California. The best part of the whole thing though, was the fact that he'd printed lyrics to The Beatles' 'Here, There, and Everywhere' around the pictures. A small tear ran down my cheek as I took it all in.

"Edward, I…" I started, but found myself unable to finish. It was simply amazing.

"Do you like it?"

I took a deep breath before I answered. "Like it? Edward, this is incredible! No one has ever done anything like this for me." I crawled over and hugged him as tightly as I could without hurting myself. "I love it. I love you, have I told you that lately?" I joked.

Edward leaned back and captured my lips roughly, peppering small kisses along my cheeks, my jaw and my neck.

"Hey, you said my outfit was a torture device? Lips off, mister. Unless you can promise that you'll keep your tongue out of it, then I'd be willing to negotiate," I laughed. He pulled back from me and stopped when he was at a safe distance.

"You're right," he said with a smile as I stared at him swollen red lips. "But can I make a change to said torture device, and then we can call it even?" I nodded and watched as he placed his hand at the elastic of my socks. He moved his head down until his face rested against my knee, and began kissing along my leg as he removed the sock. He repeated this action on my other leg, leaving me gaping at him. "Okay, now we're even," he said smugly.

Edward got up off the bed and stripped down into his boxers before pulling back the covers and sliding in. I was still staring at him, but it eventually registered that I needed to move, so I snuggled into his side carefully.

"Mark my words, Cullen, I will get you back for that."

**CPW: I've got a recommendation for ya'll. Go check out 'The Ride' by Aylah50. It's a really cute story that starts off based in the 90's and her music references are awesome, especially if you grew up in the 90's like I did. It's only four chapters in, but it's very promising. Review, and let her know CPW & FLB11 sent you.**

**FLB11: Oh yeah, and don't forget to give CPW congrats for her well deserved nomination for Best Author in the Silent Tear Awards!!**

**Now… go and review, so you can see more of our twosome next Sunday **


	28. Birthday

**CPW: A day late is better than a week late right?**

**FLB11: Yeah, something like that. Sorry for the slight delay, schoolwork and declaring my majors and classes for next time kept me a wee bit busy.**

**CPW: You know they don't care about your real life right? You could be a monkey trainer in the circus who gets it on with the double jointed man and the bearded lady. As long as we kept writing this story, our readers would be more than happy.**

**FLB11: Thanks for telling them all about my secret double life.**

**CPW: Meh, it was bound to come out.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight; but we both own a copy of the Friends Trivia game.**

**EPOV**

The past two weeks passed faster than I thought possible, and I didn't really like it. Bella had moved back in with Rosalie and Alice several days ago, and to say my apartment felt empty without her would be an understatement. The haphazard collection of canvases were gone, her sketchbooks and pencils that once lay scattered across the coffee table were now just a memory and I missed it. All of it. Her scent, her touch, the odd collection of clothes that were lying around my room and more than anything, I missed her.

However, it's not like I never saw Bella anymore. In fact, it was her birthday and I was desperately trying to do something romantic for her. During the week that Bella lived with me, she mentioned how she had never had a boyfriend on her birthday before, and hadn't really had many relationships in general, so I immediately told her we had a date for that night at my apartment and I was going to try and do something memorable for her. A candlelit dinner for two would be memorable right?

I stupidly ended up calling my mother for advice on something to make Bella for dinner the night before her birthday and ended up in a three hour long conversation with her about my intentions towards Bella. It was the most painful conversation I had ever had with my mother, because she just wouldn't give up. Mom apparently couldn't fathom the fact that Bella and I had only been dating for a few weeks and known each other for just a few months.

Esme was a true believer in fate, even though she used to try and set me up with every eligible girl she'd ever met in her life, and I had to remind her that I didn't really think fate was at work when it came to her previously horrendous matchmaking skills.

"Edward, I have to tell you, I think Bella is the one."

"Yeah, you've mentioned that repeatedly, for the past two hours, mother. I just need you to step back from my relationship with Bella though. It's new, and I won't have her running scared because my mother hasn't taken her meds. Didn't Renee fill you in on Bella's anxiety over relationships? Since you ladies are suddenly the best of friends," I asked as my mother paused and let out a small sigh.

"Listen, I know Bella had doubts in the past Edward, but Renee assures me that she is a changed girl. I'm more than certain that the love of a good man… my son… has changed her.

"I know it's not something you are consciously doing, but I am paranoid that you are going to make Bella run screaming from me."

"Oh, stop being so overdramatic Edward," she said with an exasperated sigh as I did the same. Well, I guess I know who I got that trait from. We were testing each other's patience and it felt like we were dueling to the death. Which Cullen would break first? "Bella had her issues, I understand that. Let's stop dwelling on the past and move onto the future, shall we?"

"We are not moving anywhere mother. I am going to enjoy dating Bella and you are going to stop engagement ring and crib shopping for fucks sake."

"Edward, watch your language."

"Are you denying it? Have you not spoken to Renee about potential nursery designs and wedding dates?"

"Well… umm… no, not in so many words. "

"So there was no mention of a Noah's Ark theme in a baby's room? You do realize there is no baby right, or are you that delusional?"

"Fine… yes. I may have mentioned how adorable that theme is, and don't treat me like a child Edward, I know there is no baby… yet." She emphasized the last word so passionately that I was tempted to throw my cell phone across the living room in anger. It was like everything I said to her was going in one ear and out the other. She was beyond frustrating.

"Oh and Dad told me he found a catalogue for Pottery Barn Kids on the kitchen table, dog eared to some oak crib set. There will be no babies or weddings anytime soon, Mom. Do you understand that?"

"You are such a party pooper, Edward."

"And you are spending way too much time with Renee if you are using terms like 'party pooper.'" My mother agreed reluctantly with me, and I found myself hoping that any damage she did end up inflicting – because it was inevitable that something would happen – didn't hurt my relationship with Bella. We were finally together, in every sense of the word, and I wasn't ready to give that up. I didn't think I would ever be ready to give her up, if I was being completely honest.

"By the way Mom, I think she's the one too."

Armed with my mother's recipe for Chicken Cordon Bleu, I trudged off to Whole Foods and picked up everything I needed the next morning. What I didn't need at that moment though, was to run into Alice in the cheese department. It was very surreal and reminded me of the first time I met her all those months ago. The moment she saw me, a bouquet of flowers in my small basket, her eyes lit up with excitement.

"Is that for Bella's birthday?"

"Her birthday?" I asked, playing dumb as Alice let out a small groan.

"Oh my god, please tell me you are aware that her birthday is today. Jesus, did she not tell you this? I know Bella hates birthdays and all, but I would think that being around you might change that this year," Alice rambled on as she took a moment to yell at the girl behind the counter for not cutting her provolone thin enough.

"Yes, Alice. I know today is her birthday. She's coming over later to celebrate."

"Awesome! She'll love it. By the way, good choice on the flowers. She prefers blue to pink." I nodded my head slowly and realized that Alice clearly didn't think I knew Bella enough to know that her favorite color was blue, same as me. "Anyways, I gotta run. I promised Jasper I would be over at the bookstore later today with his lunch and I have to get Bella to teach me how to make a sandwich first."

Several of the other patrons looked at Alice in shock, surprised that she didn't know how to make a simple sandwich, but I just laughed. "See ya," I said genuinely as I stepped up to the counter and ordered some Swiss cheese. When I finally made it home, I had three messages waiting for me. One from Bella confirming what time she should come over tonight, one from Emmett wanting to know if I could run lines with him for an audition, and one from Josephine Blyth, the photo editor at the New Yorker.

Bella and I had met with Jacob last week and showed him my portfolio. He was more than impressed and even offered to put me into a show he was going to be hosting at the end of the month that focused on photographers only. I was really tempted to say yes, but considering we were going away for several days on a mini-vacation with all of our friends, I knew there was no way I could get enough photos done for the show. Jacob immediately told me he would keep me in mind for future shows, but that he would also get in touch with a few of his newspaper and magazine contacts. I thanked him profusely, but he just reassured me that I didn't owe him anything, because he saw how happy I made Bella. We parted ways that day as closer friends than I ever thought we would be.

I put all the groceries in the fridge and then sat down to try and compose myself before calling Josephine back. She ended up being out of the office for the rest of the day, but her assistant let me know that she had seen my portfolio, courtesy of Jacob, and she wanted to meet with me about the possibility of doing some freelance work for them. I actually wanted to cover my hand over the phone and jump up and down squealing with excitement, but I wasn't that much of a girl.

I booked an appointment for early the next week, and then tried to go about my business, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry and finally making dinner. However, my entire body was shaking with hope the entire time. This was a major break for me, and I could only hope that things turned out the way I wanted them too. Everything was falling into place.

Bella showed up just before six, while dinner was cooking in the oven. I already had a salad in the fridge, and the rice pilaf was on the stove. She walked in like a breath of fresh air and the instant she put her sweater on a chair in the dining room, the entire apartment felt full again, almost like she had never left.

"Smells good Mr. Cullen," she said as she strolled towards me and kissed my cheek sweetly. She eyed up the flowers in a small vase on my counter and smiled brightly. "Are those for me?"

"No, they are for my other girlfriend. Maggie and I have become tight since you have me doing coffee runs for you three times a day," I said with a laugh as Bella looked at me scornfully. "I'm bringing them to her later, after we cuddle."

"Do I need to remind you of my medical condition?" She gestured with her hand towards her side where her incision lay, healing nicely. I think Bella was trying to get me to stop teasing her, but I just rolled my eyes and checked the rice on the stove as the timer went off for the oven. "Wow, you really went all out."

"Well, it's only once your girlfriend turns twenty five. Unless of course you are Hugh Hefner, in which case it happens several times a year." I took in her appearance, and the happiness her presence brought me as soon as she arrived quickly became overwhelming. She was wearing a lacy looking purple dress and a pair of moccasin boots, the tassels swaying gingerly across her ankles.

"What?" she questioned as soon as my eyes met hers after I had finished ogling her.

"I was just thinking about how much I love your quirkiness. It's been a while since I've seen you in one of your whacky outfits," I said, noticing her earrings as I got closer to her. One earring was the peanut butter half of a sandwich, and the other was jelly. I kissed her cheek as I chuckled against her supple, pink skin.

Just as I was reaching into the stove to pull out the dish with our chicken in it, there was a loud obnoxious knock at the door. I looked at Bella and shrugged my shoulders because I didn't think anyone would be coming over tonight. At least I hoped not.

"Emmett, do you wanna help?" I heard Alice ask on the other side of the door.

Oh fuck no.

"Oh, I wish I could, but I really don't want to," Emmett replied, though his voice was muffled by the door.

"Bella, don't answer it. Maybe they will think we went out."

"Open the door, Cullen, we know you are in there," Emmett shouted out loudly, no doubt disturbing my neighbors. I mentally ran though my mind all the reasons why they would be standing outside my door. Everyone knew it was Bella's birthday, but I had specifically told Alice earlier in the day that it was just the two of us celebrating. Why the hell would she interrupt that? Surely she could see that Bella and I needed some privacy, right?

"Edward, let's just let them in," Bella urged quietly as I shook my head. There was no way my quiet, romantic evening was going to be ruined by my supposed friends. There were a few more bangs on the door, no doubt from either Emmett or Alice, seeing as both of them were impatient as hell. I thought they were about to go away, but then Jasper muttered something about the spare key he had and suddenly, I was standing at the door, holding it open.

"Well fuck, it's about time. Were you two naked?" Emmett questioned as he walked in empty handed, and everyone else was carrying a bag or two. There was Thai food, beer and Alice seemed to have a bag with board games and tequila in it. This was not good. "So… were you naked? Doing it doggy style on the kitchen table?"

"I once dreamed I was having sex with Jasper on our kitchen table," Rosalie said boldly as everyone snapped their head around and stared at her incredulously.

"Why... why would you dream that?" Emmett stuttered as Rosalie began unloading some of the containers out of the bag from the Thai restaurant down the street.

"More importantly, was I any good?" piped up Jasper, adding more fuel to the fire. Emmett already looked livid, but now it was like there was smoke coming out his ears.

"Well, you were pretty damned good."

"Interesting, because in my dreams, I'm surprisingly inadequate," Jasper added as he looked over at Alice who was simply rolling her eyes.

"Well, that night you certainly seemed to know your way around the table."

"I love it when we share. Now stop it," added Emmett sarcastically as he threw himself onto my couch in the living room and let out a huge sigh. I couldn't help but commiserate with him, not about the fact that my girlfriend had a sex dream about our friend, because she hadn't that I was aware of, but because my night was effectively ruined.

**BPOV**

My friends were asinine. Seriously, couldn't I spend the night alone with my boyfriend on my birthday? Alice was going to die, and it wasn't going to be quick.

_I wonder if Edward has a pair of really dull of bush clippers around._

I knew they meant well, but I really wanted off with their heads for interrupting our evening. I had been looking forward to spending time alone with Edward, especially since I started feeling a lot better in the past few days. I was doing everything by myself and I think that was helping me improve even more. I was beginning to feel like my old self, and not even the healing stitches could feel better than that.

I sat down next to Edward on the couch and snuggled up to his side in an effort to let him know that the night wasn't totally spoiled. We could always kick everyone out when we got sick of them.

"Hey, it's okay, really. It's the thought that counts, right?" I whispered as my chin rested on his shoulder. He put his arm over my shoulders and kissed the top of my head.

"I know that, Bella, but I was really looking forward to doing something romantic for your birthday," he said stoically. I patted his stomach in a comforting gesture, silently letting him know that it wasn't the end of the world.

"We still have tonight," I whispered slowly into his ear. Edward turned to look at me incredulously, because he knew it was still too soon for us to have sex. But that didn't mean that a little fun was totally out of the question. Well, I wanted to have sex because my hoo-hah was literally screaming for it, but I knew damn well Edward wouldn't have sex with me because he thought I still needed more time to recover. I, however, was ready to do anything I could to get any sort of attention I could.

"Let's eat!" Emmett shouted, because apparently food made him forget about the fact that he had been bummed about Rose having a sex dream about Jasper five minutes earlier. I giggled and kissed Edward softly on the lips before getting up and reaching for his hand.

"Come on, lover boy. The quicker and more efficiently we entertain them, the faster we'll be alone," I said as Edward took my hand and stood up from the couch. Edward went into the kitchen and checked on the chicken he had made for us. Noticing that it was done, he pulled it from the oven to cool as I came up behind him. "Don't worry… we can have it tomorrow, baby."

"Or I could eat it right now," Emmett said as he stood beside us with a grin on his face. However, Edward seemed to get even more defensive over his chicken than he did over the interruption by our friends and threw Emmett a scowl that would have shrunk my balls if I had any. "Or not. I'll just go get something from what we brought."

"Edward, come on," I urged as I watched him turn off the stove and put a lid on his rice. "It's fine really. We haven't spent much time with them lately, so let's just grin and bear it. I promise to make it up to you," I whispered lowly in his ear as he gave me a small crooked smile that made me tingle. I entwined my fingers in his and pulled him over to the small dining room table where everyone dove into the Thai food they brought with them. We all sat around Edward's coffee table since his kitchen table wasn't big enough for all six of us.

"There's hardly any curry on these noodles," Jasper complained, looking at Alice as if she held the answer to his lack of spice dilemma. "This would never fly in Thailand."

"Oh, Jasper. If you want real Thai food, go to Thailand," Alice said, slurping up some of her soup. Edward and I glanced at each other, and refrained ourselves from giggling. He put his hand on my knee, rubbing it softly as I withheld the moan I wanted to release, and sighed in contentment. I knew if I made any sort of noise or groan it would rouse funny looks from our friends and turn dinner into a dirty joke fest, although that was bound to happen with Rosalie & Emmett in the room.

"But wouldn't it just be called food there?" Emmett blurted out. All five of us turned to look at him, staring at us expectantly.

"Emmett, Thai food is Thai food no matter where you eat it. Now shut up and eat your balls," Rosalie said firmly before going back to her soup.

Everyone laughed out loud after that, and the silence of the beginning of the meal quickly dissipated. "I thought that was your job, Rose," I teased, nearly spitting out my soup.

"Yeah, what kind of pussy-whipped dude is forced to eat his own balls? Damn Rosalie," Jasper taunted.

"Rice balls! I meant rice balls. Emmett's balls get taken care of on a regular basis, thank you very much," she shouted sternly as she threw her arms up in the air. That only seemed to fuel everyone's fire as we all continued to laugh vigorously, and she clutched her spoon even more tightly in her already white knuckled grasp. "Oh fuck it all. I quit with you people," she said as she joined in the bellowing laughter that was quickly filling Edward's apartment.

We continued eating, occasionally teasing Rosalie about her ball eating habits, but mostly we talked about my recovery and Edward's newfound venture into the world of freelance photography. His face lit up when he talked about the meeting we had with Jacob last week, and his upcoming appointment with Josephine Blyth at the New Yorker. If the blissful look on Edward's face at that moment was the only good thing to come out of my accident, I'd go through it again.

"Who is up for a round of strip Friends game?" Alice announced once we were all finished eating, surprising everyone. This was so now how I envisioned my night going.

"Strip what now?" Edward asked with a chuckle.

"Rose and I brought the Friends trivia game with us. We were thinking of turning it into a strip game for our after dinner festivities. Keep up, Cullen," she clarified. Edward rolled his eyes and kissed my hand that was intertwined with his.

"Okay, Alice. Let's do it," Rose said. Everyone began clearing the garbage and leftover food from the table, and I helped Rose and Alice set up the game.

"Here are the rules," Alice began once everyone was seated on the floor or on the couch, where Rose and Emmett rested comfortably. I was perfectly content sitting in between Edward's legs, my back leaning against his chest. "The deck of cards gets passed around clockwise. It works in teams. You ask the question to your significant other, and if they get the answer wrong, they have to remove the item of clothing of the asker's choice. If they answer the question correctly, they get to choose an item of clothing for the person who asked the question to remove. Except Bella, since she is in a dress due to her current condition, she can take everything off but her dress. The couple at the end wearing the least amount of clothing loses. Got it? Good."

I sat up straighter and mock saluted her, which in turn caused her to stick out her petite tongue at me. "Can it, Swan. You go first, since it is your birthday. Oh, and by the way, your advantage means that your ridiculous earrings count." She handed me the deck of cards, and I selected one, turning in Edward's embrace so he couldn't see what the question was.

"What famous person does Phoebe believe is her Grandfather?"

Edward's brow furrowed and his lips pursed. I giggled, because I was pretty sure he knew the answer since we had seen that episode the week before while I was still recuperating in his apartment. "Albert Einstein."

"Correct!" I said enthusiastically as I kissed him chastely on the lips.

"The moccasins, Bella," Edward said simply. I removed my shoes and snuggled back against him after I handed the deck to Rose.

"Who scored the winning point at ping-pong in Barbados?"

"That's easy," Emmett began. "Monica. That chick was competitive as fuck." He shot a glance in Alice's direction and we all laughed because she and Monica were kindred souls, except for the cooking thing. Alice couldn't cook to save her life.

Rosalie slapped her palm against her forehead. "No, you moron! It was Chandler." She shook her head and studied him for a moment. "Off with the shirt, McCarty. No one should be deprived of that view," she said huskily.

"Thanks, Rosie. I always knew you appreciated the goods," he said as he pulled his shirt over his head to reveal his toned muscles. He was pretty damn hot, but honestly had nothing on Edward.

Rosalie handed Alice the deck of cards, and she snickered when she saw her question. "When Phoebe changed her name to Princess Consuela Bananahammock, what did Mike change his name to?"

"Psssht. That's easy. Crap Bag!" Jasper said victoriously. Alice kissed him on the cheek and Jasper told her to take off her shoes. We all looked at him curiously, teasing him relentlessly about having some sort of foot fetish.

We eventually stopped the game when it came time for Emmett to take off his pants, because apparently he chose to go commando, previously unaware of the night's activities. Jasper's lone victory was Mike Crapbag, and he was left sporting only his jeans as well. That left Edward and I as the winners, even with my dress handicap.

"Present time!" Alice sang, the pitch of her voice making me recoil. Alice and Rose went back to the kitchen, bringing their gifts back with them.

I opened Alice's first, which was a navy blue top I had been admiring in her store recently. It was a thin strapped tank top, with a zippered front, a belt going around the waist, and two layers of ruffles. "Alice, I love it! How did you know?"

"Pa-lease. You kept giving it that same look you give Edward every time you were in the store," she said blatantly.

Rose shoved her gift in my face, and I could feel the warmth of embarrassment flooding over my cheeks already. I knew she was going to give me something from the shop, because she always did. It wasn't so much the actual gift, it was the fact that I had five pairs of eyes watching me open it, and no doubt wondering what I'd be doing with it.

As I pulled the wrapping paper off the small box, I felt the heat in my face grow impossibly higher in temperature. Tongue vibrators for oral sex.

I wanted to kill her.

I wanted to kiss her.

"Gee, thanks, Rose," I said. Edward peeked over into the box and smiled.

"Yeah, thanks Rose," he said, but his tone was completely serious.

"Now it's Edward's turn," Alice said.

"No, no, no," he said firmly, holding up his hands and shaking his head. "You four lunatics already deprived me of a romantic evening with my girl, I at least get to give her my gift in private," he finished as he crossed his arms over his chest in an authoritative manner. I sighed and rubbed the palm of my hand over his arm, because I knew there was almost no way he would win this fight against Alice.

"Sorry, Edward, unless it's something _private_, you're giving her the gift now. Plus, I don't think what you got her could be any worse than the one she just opened from me," Rose argued.

I leaned in to whisper in Edward's ear, because honestly, I just wanted to be alone with him, and if that meant him giving me his gift now, then so be it. As far as I was concerned, he had no reason to give me anything, considering he had spent the better part of a week practically nursing me back to heath.

"The faster we get through this, the faster they're out of here," I whispered, low enough for only him to hear. His eyes brightened and he shot up from the floor and up into his bedroom. He came back a moment later with a small rectangular box.

"For you, m'lady." He handed me the box and I untied the bow slowly, lifting the top. I gasped when I saw the sterling silver heart shaped locket nestled in the velvet. "Do you like it? Alice said you would approve, but I wasn't sure-"

I silenced him, gingery placing a finger over his overactive lips. "Edward, one, it's from you, so of course I love it. Two, it's beautiful, so of course I love it," I said with a smile, moving my finger from his lips.

"Good, cause you still have to look inside," he said. My curiosity peaked, and I carefully opened the locket. Inside, there was the same picture from the collage he had given me last week; Edward kissing my cheek in his living room.

No words were spoken as I threw myself into his arms – well, I kind of hopped into him, since I wasn't exactly capable of throwing myself. I held him to me as tightly as I could, whispering thank you, and telling him I loved him.

Soon after, Edward put my new necklace around my neck, Alice and Rose brought out a cake, and they all sang happy birthday to me like we were fourteen. The four of them left a little while later, after I practically begged Alice and Rose – nicely of course – while we were cleaning up and putting the leftover cake in the refrigerator.

"Mmmm, thank god," Edward mumbled into my neck as he stood behind me in the living room, with his arms around my waist. "I thought they would never leave."

"Well, they're gone now. Let's not waste any precious time talking about them," I laughed.

He didn't even address my comment. "Stay with me tonight?"

I turned around in his arms. "I didn't know I had another option," I said with a pout as I snaked my arms around his neck and kissed him slowly.

"You didn't." The next thing I knew, I was being swept up in his arms, and he was carrying me upstairs. On any other occasion I would have objected, but I knew he was paying silent tribute to the week before when we were literally attached at the hip, but not in the way I wanted. However, I also knew that he was telling me he missed me.

"I missed you, too," I said once he set me back down on my feet. He smirked and kissed me once more before pulling away, reaching into his dresser for a pair of boxers and a t-shirt, which he tossed towards me.

I pulled my dress over my head before pulling off my bra and panties, and putting on the clothes Edward had given me. Edward strode over to me, clad in only his boxers, and began peppering my neck with slow, sensual kisses.

"Edward," I said, reveling in the tingling sensation that was running through my entire body, from the very tips of my fingers to the edge of the blue nail polish on my toes. He pulled back with a frustrated expression.

"Sorry," he said as he crawled into bed and held his arms out to me. I joined him under the sheets and turned onto my side, tugging at his shoulders and imploring him to face me. "I know we can't do anything, and I should be grateful that it won't be longer than it will be until I can feel you again, but fuck, Bella, I want to." He rubbed his hand over his face and spoke again. "Now I sound like an asshole. I shouldn't have said that, Bella. I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're okay, you know that, right?"

"Hey, hey," I said, grabbing his face I my hands. "I know how you feel. I want you just as badly. And don't worry about hurting my feelings, because I know you didn't mean it like that." I kissed him, pushing past his lips with my tongue in one fluid motion. I moaned when the tip of his tongue touched my own, grabbing his perfect biceps tightly in an attempt to reign in the pleasure he made me feel.

"Bella, baby, we can't," he panted once he regretfully pulled his lips from mine.

"You can't expect me to stop when you go and call me 'baby,' you know." I snickered and kissed his cheek before continuing. "And just because we can't have sex yet, doesn't mean we have to suffer," I said, as I reached my hand down to his hard erection and began stroking him through his boxers.

"Jesus, Bella, are you sure?" the low groan that escaped him betrayed his question. I nodded, contemplating what exactly I would be comfortable doing.

"Yes… just, can we keep our clothes on? I don't think I could handle much more," I said as I bit my bottom lip. I was pretty sure that anything more intense than that would be painful for my stitches.

"Bella, I should be buying you a bracelet to go with your necklace for even letting me do anything right now," he said as his face dove into the crook of my neck, where he began sucking vigorously. His hand snaked between us and began rubbing my clit through the thin material of the boxer shorts.

"Oh, yeah," I muttered as I fisted my hands in his hair and tried my best to resist the urge to thrust my hips. I pressed more firmly on Edward's fabric covered cock, hoping he would take the hint and mimic my actions. His teeth grazed along my neck, and he started nibbling my favorite spot. I grasped his length in my hand and ran my finger across the tip.

"Fuck, baby," Edward grunted against my neck. He applied more pressure with his hand, and I could feel myself getting closer to the edge. I moved my lips to his neck and sucked his earlobe into my mouth, biting it gently. I tried pushing my hips harder into his hand, but it proved too difficult.

"Harder, Edward," I whimpered. "I can't… oh, god," I garbled as I felt him pressing rigorously against me, throwing me over the edge where I had been swaying.

I ran my fingers over the tip of his cock, feeling the wetness seeping out through his boxers. "Feel how hard you make me come, " I whispered in his ear.

"Bella…" he moaned as I gripped his length harder in my hand, stroking him though the soft fabric. A moment later, I felt him twitching in my hand, signaling his release. We lay in each other's arms, letting our breathing even out. "I love you," he whispered.

"Love you, too," I said, smiling at him and kissing his swollen lips. "I'm too tired to move," I whined. I wriggled my body out of the boxer shorts as Edward lazily rolled out of bed to clean up. I closed my eyes and listened to him move around the room until I felt the bed shift, letting me know he was near again.

"I missed this," he said as he came up behind me, spooning my body and holding me close. I hummed and nodded against his chest. "Happy birthday, Bella."

**Don't forget to check out the outfits, the link is on our profile pages. Also, the link to the collage Edward made for Bella in the last chapter, as well as the presents from Alice and Rosalie are on flightlessbird11's blog.**

**http :// flightlessbird11 . blogspot . com/**

**Now we have a story rec for all you lovely readers. Taking You Home by Hope4More is only 6 chapters in, but it is heartbreaking, sweet and has a lot of potential. Instantmomella and Australiaward as CPW has dubbed him are certainly going to be an interesting pair and your heart will melt for Gracie and Brandon. Leave a review, story alert etc.. and let her know we sent you. She deserves a fuckton of reviews and alerts for this awesome story.**

**Now click that green button and leave us some lovin'**


	29. Please Please Me

**CPW: So I did something stupid this week.**

**FLB11: Well now, your husband wouldn't appreciate you calling him stupid.**

**CPW: bwahahaha. That's right, but no, that's not what I'm talking about. I made a Facebook account for my fan fiction.**

**FLB11: Say it ain't so.**

**CPW: It is so. Coldplaywhore fanfiction now exists on Facebook. You gonna come join me?**

**FLB11: Facebook hates me with the passion of 1,000 screaming monkeys. So for now, I'm out of the fun. Enjoy being bombarded with Farmville and mafia wars requests.**

**CPW: I'm already planning my methods of torture for those people.**

**FLB11: Anyways, we don't own Twilight; CPW is buying tickets for the Twilight Convention in Toronto today and is going with our fabulous beta, MaggieMay14. She rocks.**

**BPOV**

"_I want you, Edward," I panted breathlessly as I hovered over him. I was propped up on my knees, and my legs were hitched over both sides of him, his hard dick pressing against my clit through our clothing in the most torturous way._

_His face contorted in confusion, as if he were trying to solve the world's greatest mystery. All I wanted him to do was fuck me, to be inside me and show me that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him. I knew it was true, but I needed to feel it, rather than just hear him say the words like I had been doing for the past four weeks._

"_I won't do it, Bella. Not until your scar is gone," he said seriously. My eyes widened and a shot of adrenaline rushed through my body. What was he talking about? The scar would never be gone._

"_But Edward… it'll always be there," I said, smiling nervously. My voice sounded reassuring, but I wasn't sure which one of us I was trying to comfort._

"_I'm sorry, Bella."_

I was jolted awake by the sudden movement of my body and Alice yelling at someone from in front of me. I took a moment to absorb my surroundings, and I remembered that I was in Jasper's car, and we were on our way to spend a long weekend on the Jersey Shore. Alice and Jasper had burst into Edward's apartment earlier in the afternoon and demanded that we be ready to leave for our mini vacation in five minutes. Well, Alice demanded and Jasper just kind of just stood there like a little lost puppy. Of course, neither Edward nor I were prepared to leave just yet, so we ended up leaving half an hour later, which put Miss Prim behind schedule. Rosalie and Emmett were following behind us in his car. I was curled into Edward's side in the back seat, but as soon as I looked at his relaxed face, which was smiling down at me, all I could think of was the dream I had just woken up from.

My doctor had given me a clean bill of health on Tuesday when I went in for my latest follow up appointment. He even recommended a bit of exercise to make sure my blood was flowing normally. He told me I would be able to function as usual, with the exception of some obvious things like bench pressing and gymnastics. That really bummed me out since they were some of my favorite pastimes. Hah.

"Well look who's awake. You've been asleep almost the whole two hour drive," Edward laughed. I smiled at him weakly, because I was still a little weary from my dream.

Was I afraid that Edward would have a similar reaction when I told him I was ready for sex? I knew that logically he wouldn't tell me that he wasn't going to fuck me ever again, but I was worried that he would want to wait an unreasonably long time. I mean really, who knew what I was and was not ready for better than me? I wouldn't ask him to have sex with me if I wasn't physically ready for it; I didn't want to put any more setbacks in my recovery than he did.

"What's wrong?" he asked, because clearly I was awful at hiding the fact that I'd just had an unsettling dream about him.

"Nothing," I lied. "Just forgot where we were," I said with a nervous laugh, and I prayed that he would pass of the edge in my voice to tiredness.

"We're almost there, according to Alice. Apparently, there are three bedrooms in the house, and one of them has only twin beds, so we're going to draw straws when we get there," Edward said casually as he rubbed my arm gently.

"Ooh, so it's going to start off with a bang, huh?" I joked.

"Totally. Jazz and I were thinking of rigging it so that Rose and Em get the girly room with the two beds," Alice chimed in from the front seat. "You guys game? The other two rooms are pretty much equal."

"I don't know if it will be worth it with Emmett's griping, but I'm in if Bella's in," Edward said.

"Oh, I think Emmett's complaining will seem like a small price to pay in exchange for a big comfy bed," I said without remorse. There was no way I was risking having to curl up next to Edward on a twin sized bed, because there was simply no way I was sleeping alone in a bed while we were on vacation. Especially not with what I had planned.

We arrived at the rather large cottage just after dark, and just in time for a nice late dinner. We opted for pizza, since none of us really wanted to go grocery shopping at that very moment and then come back and have to cook. We ordered three pizzas, knowing that Emmett would eat nearly a whole one by himself. Of course, Emmett and Rose ended up going to the grocery store anyways since he had nothing to snack on after dinner, and no one had brought any beer with them from the city. Once they got back from the store, with more than one night's worth of snacks, and two twelve packs of Budweiser, we sat down around the quaint dining room table and devoured the pizzas. Alice found an old game of 'Apples to Apples' in one of the cupboards and declared that we just had to play after dinner.

I really just wanted to be alone with Edward to surprise him and Edward Junior, but I could see that once again, we were going to be cockblocked by our friends. If we didn't love them so much, I was pretty sure they would all be dead by now. If I didn't get some sex soon, I felt like I was going to implode; I was constantly restless and in need of Edward's touch, which also made the need more intense. It was kind of stressing me out.

We finally picked straws to determine our room assignments and Emmett and Rose got the shortest straw resulting in them getting stuck with the girly room, Alice and Jasper got the room by the stairs, and Edward and I got the master bedroom. We tried acting nonchalant about it, but I knew both he and I were doing internal fist pumps.

Alice ushered us all into the large living room, which had two giant, fluffy looking sky blue couches surrounding a small white coffee table. Jasper pulled out the game and dealt us all the cards as Alice rattled off the rules. Everyone got five red cards and one person, called 'the reader' – for obvious reasons – reads a word on one of the green cards. Everyone else picks a card from their pile that they believe accurately describes the word read from the green card. After handing their cards off to the reader, the red cards are shuffled, so the identity of the cardholder is unknown, and the reader recites them aloud. Whichever card the reader deems best described the word on the green card, wins that round, at which time the owner of the card is revealed and they receive the green card. Whoever ends up with the most green cards at the end of the game, wins.

Of course Emmett announced that he had gotten the Helen Keller card, which was, according to him, 'the card that always wins.' After the first round of cards and beers, which I wasn't yet allowed to have since my liver was still recovering, things began to get a little bit nonsensical.

"_Clueless:_ unaware, oblivious, ignorant," I said as I read off the words on the green card in my hand. "Emmett," I added for good measure. Everyone let out loud guffaws at my joke, but I think it was mostly because they were getting a little drunk.

I waited while the rest of them picked cards from their piles, deciding which word would best fit the definition of 'clueless.' I could see the game turning into a giant heap of ridiculousness, because none of us were being serious about the cards we chose, but I guessed that was why Alice wanted to play so badly, especially with Emmett around.

They all studied the cards in front of them before each handing one to me. They read: _Poodles, George W. Bush, Men, The 1960's, _and_ Homer Simpson._ I didn't even need to think about it to know which card had been Edward's, since he loved The Simpsons. Emmett's was most likely Poodles, Rosalie's was definitely Men; Alice _would_ say that the 1960's were clueless, leaving Bush for Jasper. Now all I had to do was choose which one of them I wanted to win the round. Really hard decision there.

I read the cards aloud and chose the winner after everyone's laughter subsided. "Homer Simpson," I giggled. Edward raised his fist, and pumped his arm dramatically.

"Yessssss," he hissed.

About three hours later, once there was no more beer left, everyone decided to pop in a movie. I looked at Edward and knew he was thinking the same thing. Group activities weren't really our thing lately.

"Guys, we're gonna go head upstairs. We're beat," he said as he pointed his thumb towards the wooden staircase behind him. I smiled, thinking of how well we knew each other. He really was my best friend.

"Oh, and good luck with those twin beds," I shouted as Edward and I were about halfway up the stairs. We practically sprinted the rest of the way up, both of us laughing hysterically as we entered the large bedroom.

Once the door was closed and I looked at Edward, whose eyes were glassy, and I could tell he hadn't been lying before; he really did look tired. I imagined spending the entire two-hour drive practically alone with Alice and Jasper had gotten to him. It may not have been a very long ride, but Alice could be very irritating when confined to a small space. Plus, I noticed he'd had at least four beers himself while we were downstairs. I didn't see sex in our near future, but I was still going to try.

I came up behind him, wrapping my arms around his toned torso, kissing in between his shoulder blades. He hummed in contentment, leaning back into me slightly. I wasn't sure if the leaning was because of me or his state of drunkenness, but I was going to take the credit regardless. I slipped my hands underneath his t-shirt and rubbed slow, tiny circles across his abs before I snaked the tips of my fingers below the waist of his jeans.

"Bella," he sighed and I knew I had him. It wasn't a 'please stop, Bella,' it was a 'Bella, please keep going.' I smiled wickedly before the guilt crept into my thoughts. Did I really want the first time I had sex with Edward after my surgery to be while he was tired and drunk and I was completely sober?

Did I want him enough that I didn't care?

He turned in my arms and looked at me, his eyes dark; full of desire and longing. If I could see my reflection through his eyes I was sure they would mirror the appearance of his. He kissed me softly, and I knew I had to wait. I could wait until morning, right? Chances were he was too drunk to remember this little encounter, and so I knew that he would most likely remember little if we were to have sex right then. That wasn't something I wanted to do with Edward now, especially since we had done it too many times before we got together, officially that is. I didn't want to go back to that. I wanted to be completely connected with Edward each time we were intimate, no matter how cheesy that sounded.

I was in love, I was allowed to be a little corny.

Edward cupped my cheek and I leaned into his touch. I tugged at the button on his jeans, but not in a way that said I wanted to have sex with him. I just wanted to get us ready for bed so we could have each other in the morning. It would be worth the wait. After all, we had waited four weeks; one more night wouldn't kill me. I just hoped I wouldn't be reliving my dream from earlier in the afternoon.

"Come on, you're tired. Let's get you to bed," I whispered as I slid his jeans down his legs slowly. He stepped out of them and I stood up, pulling my shirt over my head as Edward climbed into the plush bed. I pulled one of his t-shirts over my head and took off my jeans. I crawled into bed next to Edward and rolled onto my side, feeling the warmth of his body behind me almost immediately.

"Goodnight, Edward."

"Love you, Bella." I smiled widely before drifting off to sleep in the arms of the man I was sure I'd love for the rest of my life.

**EPOV**

When I woke up the next morning, sunlight was streaming through the white curtains and I tightened my grasp on Bella, who was curled into my side and I nuzzled my face into her neck, breathing her in. I thought I would get a few minutes to simply revel in being with her again after the mess that was yesterday, but I felt Bella move her hips back against me and I let out a low groan.

"I'm glad to see you're finally awake," Bella said softly as I leaned down and kissed her cheek tenderly. Bella turned her body on our surprisingly soft bed and rested her head against my bare chest. As I looked around over the top of Bella's head, in the light of day I realized we really did get the best bedroom in the beach house. We had lucked out and got the master bedroom, with its dark wooden sleigh bed and French doors that led out to a small balcony that overlooked the beach. I had to admit, Alice did a great job picking the cottage out for all of us.

"How long have you been awake?" I asked as my fingers reached up and pushed some hair away from her face, letting me look at her in the eyes clearly. She looked tired, but content. I, however, felt a little rough from the drinking the night before, but not too horrible. Nothing a glass of water and some Tylenol couldn't fix.

"Only a few minutes. Your morning wood distracted me slightly," Bella added as she moved her hips against mine, grinding against my cock in the most pleasurable way possible. Suddenly her lips were on my neck as she hitched her leg over my hip to try and get closer to me. "I think he needs some attention," Bella said huskily as she reached her hand between us and palmed my cock through my boxers for a moment.

Unfortunately for me, and my now aching cock, all I could think about was Bella's accident and how she still needed time to heal. I wasn't going to go fuck it all up and set her back because I couldn't control myself. I pulled back from her slightly and could see the sadness in her eyes, most likely thinking I was rejecting her, when it was really the last thing I wanted to do. Fuck, there was nothing I wanted more than to be buried inside of Bella, connecting with her again.

"Please don't be upset with me, Bella," I said, trying to sound as sweet as possible. "I'm just worried about hurting you, baby." I could see Bella's cheeks turning a faint shade of pink and knew that not only was she sad, now she was also embarrassed. I reached out to her, but she pulled away from me with a small scowl on her face, as she sat up and attempted to get out of bed.

"It's fine, really," she said, her voice tinged with sadness as I grabbed for her hand, wanting to pull her back to bed and reassure her of my unwavering need and desire for her. However, Emmett, the king of bad timing, suddenly ran into the room screaming at the top of his lungs.

"I will give you five hundred bucks if you sleep in the other room tonight," he shouted as Alice came in behind him, resting her hands on her hips as she stood by the door. She glared at him angrily and I couldn't help the relief that coursed through me because I wasn't him at that particular moment. She looked deadly.

"Em, leave them the fuck alone. You pulled the first straw, it just happened to be the shortest. Just sleep in that room. It's not that bad," she advised as Bella grabbed a sweatshirt and a pair of running shorts from her luggage and then stepped out into the hall, most likely to get changed in the bathroom.

"Sleeping in those two tiny beds is not conducive to my sex life. Rosie and I had to push them together and I fell between the two beds three times last night. I think I threw out my hip," he stammered in frustration as I groaned and opted not to get in the middle of their argument. "It's all pink, with flowers and it so damned girly. It's effecting my manhood and my ability to satisfy my woman. I can only look at daisies and puppies for so long before I go limp you know."

"You're full of shit, McCarty. Did you ever consider not fucking?" chimed in Bella, as she walked back in a second later, the anger at our previous situation clear in her voice.

"Not fucking is not an option," said Rosalie as she walked into the room and Emmett grabbed her, pulling her to his side. If I was to do that to Bella right now, she's probably wince in pain, which was why I was avoiding the entire sex thing with her right now. "That's like you not painting. It's just not going to happen, Bella."

"Then just ride him, Rosalie," said Alice with a small laugh as I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe I was in this situation. "Let him do nothing and you can do all the work. I doubt Em would complain as he watched the twins bounce in his face."

"What do you think we were doing last night?" Rosalie said with a small huff of frustration. "My boy here gets so distracted by my stupendous hooters that he forgets what he's doing. Thank god we finished…"

"All three times," interrupted Emmett proudly as I noticed Bella walk out of the room again, this time with her iPod, while everyone else kept discussing Rose and Em's sex life. It wasn't exactly something I wanted to hear about, and I desperately wanted to talk to Bella and let her know that I was just trying to take it easy and not injure her further. So, I grabbed my jeans from the floor beside the bed and pulled them on, sneaking out of the room as Alice continued rambling on about how her way of choosing the bedrooms was fair and Emmett would bitch if he was in any room in the beach house.

I stepped down the hardwood stairs and rounded my way into the kitchen where I found Jasper sipping on a cup of coffee at the breakfast bar. "Where is everyone?" Jasper asked as I looked around the room, desperately searching for Bella.

"They are upstairs arguing over the room assignments. Apparently 'Little Emmett' can't function in a twin bed," I said with a small sigh as Jasper began to laugh.

"Sucks to be him. I had no problem in my queen sized bed. How about you, champ?" asked Jasper with a knowing smirk as I let out a groan and he nodded sympathetically. "Oh, not so much huh?"

"Yeah, not so much. Bella's still sore and tender from her surgery."

"Are you sure about that? She didn't look so sore and tender when she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and told me she was going for a run down the beach," added Jasper as he looked at me with curiosity and took another sip from his coffee.

"She did _what_?" I yelled incredulously as Jasper just shrugged his shoulders and Alice came back into the kitchen to join us, fixing herself a coffee. "Why did you let her go out on her own?"

"Simple, she's a 25 year old woman who can make her own decisions. If she wants to go for a run, let her go for a run. Who are you, her dad?" questioned Jasper as I moved towards the picture window and glanced outside, my scowl reflected back at me as I looked down the beach for Bella, with no luck. "She'll be fine, Edward. From the look on her face, I think she just needed a few minutes to calm down. On a side note, I thought Emmett called his penis 'Captain Stupendous'?"

"How the fuck do you guys know what Emmett calls his dick?" asked Alice as I threw myself down on an armchair, keeping watch on the beach.

"Shortly after we moved in together, he went on a juggernaut and was naming it after anything and everything he could think of," Jasper said with a laugh. "There was Iron Man."

"Buster McThunderstick," I threw in as Alice let out a groan. "Don't look at me, I didn't name it. That's just creepy."

"Captain Kielbasa lasted way too long if I'm not mistaken."

"Don't forget Horseman of the Ahumpalypse," I added as Alice broke out into raucous laughter.

"How could I forget, he almost got it on a t-shirt." At that moment, Rosalie and Emmett strolled into the room with a large smile on their faces, and Rosalie's hair looked like a bird's nest.

"I could have made millions with that t-shirt idea," said Emmett as he grabbed a danish from the counter and ate it in two quick bites. Did he even bother to chew? "I was also partial to calling my schlong 'Chief of Staff.' I thought it would be cool to get that on a shirt with the presidential seal and an arrow pointing to my junk. Great idea, huh?" Emmett asked as he looked towards the girls for confirmation. Jasper and I had already talked him out of it years ago, but I could only hope that it wouldn't become resurrected by the girls agreeing with him.

"Not on your life, Em," said Alice simply as she sat down on the couch beside Rosalie and they began chatting about plans for the day. They discussed going to Fantasy Island, the local amusement park, to go on some rides and hitting the shopping district, but I zoned them out as I stared out the window, wishing for Bella to come back so that we could talk.

An hour later, Bella returned home and before I had a chance to talk to her, she insisted on having a shower. Alice and Rosalie both tried to comfort me and let me know that Bella often shut herself off when she was upset and that the best thing I could do was give her some time. So, I showered in the second bathroom when Jasper was done and dressed quickly, before heading out onto the front porch to sit down and attempt to relax.

I was shocked when Bella came out to find me almost half an hour later. "We're all going to Bay Village Shopping Center, are you going to come?" she asked as she fidgeted her hands nervously in front of her. She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans that went mid calf, with a Cherry Coke t-shirt and a cardigan, since it was late September and certainly not as warm as it would be had we come earlier in the summer. Bella looked down at her sneaker clad feet and then back up again, not looking me in the eye. "I mean… if you don't want to come you don't have to."

"Do you want me to come?"

"It's your decision, Edward," she snapped at me, and I suddenly knew we weren't talking about going shopping anymore. She was frustrated with me again for pulling back earlier in the morning, and I just wanted to talk to her; I didn't want to go fucking shopping.

"Can you sit down and talk to me for a minute?"

"They're waiting in the car for me, Edward."

"Fine… go," I said as I motioned towards the driveway with my hand and Bella let out a small squeak and headed slowly down the porch steps to join our friends. I leaned back on the chair and stared up at the sky, wondering where the hell everything went wrong.

While everyone was gone, I moped around the beach house for a bit before I grabbed my camera from the bedroom and headed for a long walk down the beach. I crossed the road and immediately began taking pictures of everything and anything that caught my eye. Almost an hour had passed as I had my iPod on and was humming softly to 'Ill With Want' by the Avett Brothers as I caught a glimpse of some tall grass blowing gently in the breeze. I took over two dozen photos and when I turned around, Bella was standing there, her eyes rimmed with red.

"I'm sorry I left," she said quietly as I sat down on the beach and she followed suit, sitting beside me, but far enough away that I couldn't touch her. Usually Bella and I felt so in tune with one another, even before we started this crazy relationship, but right then, things felt very strained and I didn't like it one bit. "Alice and Rosalie yelled at me and told me that I was being unreasonable."

"I just wanted to talk and straighten everything out between us, but you shut me out completely," I said honestly as Bella looked straight ahead, the ocean waves crashing onto the beach. I wanted to reach for my camera that rested on my lap to take a few pictures, but talking to Bella was infinitely more important than any photo I would ever take. "Please don't think I was rejecting you, because it truly is the last thing I would ever do to you, Bella. I've wanted you for so fucking long. Do you think I could live without you?"

"I just… I just… fuck," she stammered as her tears fell soundly from her eyes, splashing onto her soft cheeks. I reached up to wipe them away and was relieved when she didn't pull away from me. "My doctor gave me a clean bill of health on Tuesday at my check up. I wanted to surprise you and then you reacted the way you did this morning and you just looked… you looked scared at the prospect of having sex with me. I couldn't handle that."

"I looked scared? I _was_ scared, Bella. You never told me about the doctor's appointment, and the first thing that came to mind was that I could hurt you and your recovery would suffer a setback. I didn't want to fuck anything up. I want you as healthy as you can be, as soon as humanly possible," I admitted as I scooted closer to her on the sand and she rested her head on my shoulder as I wrapped my arm over hers. "It would kill me to know that I hurt you because I couldn't restrain myself."

"You've done a much better job of restraining yourself than I have," she admitted anxiously as I reached my hand under her chin, lifting it slowly till she looked up at me. Even with a sad expression on her face, she truly was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on.

"Believe me, Bella, not being with you has been the hardest thing I have ever done. We admit we love each other and the next day you get hurt. I want nothing more than to show you how much you mean to me with more than simply words," I replied, hoping like hell that she understood how I felt about everything, especially her.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Bella," I replied as my hand slipped up to cup her cheek, my thumb moving slowly and pushing away her remaining tears. Bella turned her head towards mine and I couldn't take my eyes off her sensuous mouth as I leaned forward and kissed her softly, reverently. Bella's hands threaded through my hair and she pulled me closer to her as she lay down on the sand, my mouth unwilling to part from hers. Our lips danced together, lightly at first and then more passionately as the mutual arousal between us grew substantially.

I placed one hand down on the sand, resting it beside Bella's head as my mouth moved down to her neck, pushing the edge of her sweater away as I desperately need more of her supple skin to taste. I hovered above her, unwilling to put too much weight against her as Bella's hips pushed up against mine, making us both groan with the contact. When I pulled away for a brief moment, Bella wrapped her legs around my waist and guided me closer to her, urging me on. I was certain that she could feel my excitement as it pressed up against her heat, but I tried to be gentle with her as my mouth descended on hers, nipping at her bottom lip as she let out a small moan.

"Baby, I know it's off season, but I don't think we should continue this on the beach," I said, somewhat reluctantly as she began kissing my neck as I pulled us up off the sand till we were sitting again. "There's no one at the house, you know." Bella got a glimmer in her eye as she jumped up and reached for my hand, pulling me with her. I grasped my camera and I let her lead me as we practically ran down the beach and back towards the house.

The moment we stepped inside the door, our hands and lips were everywhere, desperate to explore the other's body. I pressed Bella's eager body against the wall in the foyer, my hand gripping her ass firmly as she hitched her leg onto my hip, wanting to feel me against her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I lifted her up, pressing my cock against her jean clad pussy in the most torturous way possible. "Oh fuck… Edward," Bella groaned as her head fell back slightly and I latched my mouth onto her neck, sucking furiously.

I held onto her tightly, trying to move us around the room so that I could climb the stairs with her, but I knocked over a lamp and several other objects in my attempt, not really giving a shit. I yanked her sweater off, followed by her quirky shirt and as we reached the stairs, I set her down on the fourth step and reached down for her feet, peeling her shoes off as quickly as I could.

When I looked down at Bella sitting on the step in just her bra and capris, her legs wide open, she reached up and grabbed the hem of my long sleeved t-shirt, urging me to pull it off. As I did so, Bella furiously fumbled with the belt and zipper of my jeans, pushing them down quickly as her hand found my cock and she began stroking it expertly. "Jesus, baby, I've missed your touch," I said as she glanced between my rock hard dick and my eyes, winking at me suggestively as her tongue slipped out of her mouth and began encircling the head of my cock. "Oh, Christ."

I gripped onto the edge of the banister, trying to make myself remain standing, and watched with rapt attention as my cock disappeared into her warm, tempting mouth. With my free hand, I threaded my fingers through her hair and simply let myself enjoy the exquisite feeling of being ensconced in Bella's beautiful mouth; her pink, plump lips wrapped around my cock. Watching her take me in her mouth was like nothing I had ever seen before and my cock literally throbbed in the most painful way as she scrapped her teeth on the underside of my length, making me tense.

"Fuck Bella… don't stop," I urged as her hands reached up and gripped my ass, her mouth literally plunging up and down on my length as she fucked me with her mouth. "Ungh… more," I grunted as I felt my cock twitch and I knew I was close. Bella pulled me out of her mouth and then licked around me like a lollipop before sucking me back in and down her throat, which made me come undone.

"Jesus fucking Christ," I screamed out as I came in hot spurts down her throat, my breathing erratic and my heart filled with love for the girl sitting in front of me with a huge smile on her face as she wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand.

"If you want more of that, you'll have to catch me," she said with a wink as she turned and ran up the stairs, unclasping her bra and tossing it behind her playfully. I quickly yanked my jeans and boxers off, along with my shoes, and ran up after her, looking in the first bedroom I came upon, which was Jasper and Alice's. There was no sign of her, but I saw her jeans sitting on the floor just inside their room. I glanced into the next room, which was the childrens' room where Em and Rose were staying, and discovered Bella's panties on the floor. My cock literally jumped back to life knowing that she was completely naked, wherever she was.

When I made it to our room, the curtains were drawn tight and Bella was sitting on our bed with a small item in her hand that I couldn't place where I had seen them before. She tossed the small disc at me and when I looked down I smiled. It was one of the tongue vibrators Rosalie had gotten Bella for her birthday. "No time like the present, right?" Bella asked with a grin as she spread her legs open and I growled at the sight of her wet and eager for me.

"Fuck no," I replied as I literally threw myself onto the bed and ripped open the package. I crawled in between her legs and watched as Bella ran her finger around her clit, before raising her finger to her mouth and licking it clean.

_Jesus fuck_, I thought with a groan as I struggled to ease the elastic of the small vibrator, which was literally the size of a nickel, onto my tongue. Once I felt it was securely in place, I turned it on and grew excited as I snaked my tongue out and pressed it eagerly to her clit.

Bella immediately began writhing around and moaning loudly on the bed, her hands clutching at the comforter and turning her knuckles white. "Uh… more… more," Bella panted as I laid my tongue flat against her clit, the vibrator pressing against her as I eased two fingers inside of her wet pussy, thrusting them in and out slowly as her noises increased, her pants eventually becoming screams as she came wildly from her… our new toy. "Sweet lord, remind me to thank Rosalie for that."

"Let's not talk about Rosalie," I said as I propped myself up on my knees and narrowed my eyes at Bella, who was swiping some stray hairs away from her face. I brought my gaze from her brown eyes to her stomach, where her scar still lay healing, although her stitches were now gone. My lips descended on the scar and I peppered small kisses along the area, erasing physical pain with emotional mending.

"I need to be with you, Bella," I said as I brought my body up so that our noses were almost touching.

"You what?" she asked with a grin as I noticed her bit her bottom lip, which was my undoing.

"I need to fuck you," I growled out as I grabbed her wrists and held them above her head, the lust and desperation clear in her eyes as I reached for a condom from the nightstand. Alice, in her infinite wisdom, had filled all of the bedrooms with condoms the night before, when we first arrived. I ripped it open with my teeth as Bella gazed up at me with a grin on her face. "What?"

"Nothing… it's just…" she said happily as I sheathed my cock and repositioned myself between her legs.

"Tell me."

"It's nothing really," she said as she turned her face to the side, trying to hide from me. I licked slowly up her neck as my cock pressed against her clit, teasing her slowly.

"Tell me Bella," I said lowly into her ear as I bit down on the lobe and she squealed with delight.

"I like it when you...," she began to say as the tip of my cock slipped between her slick lips. "Fuck me… I like it when you talk dirty to me." I gripped one of her hips with my free hand and pushed hard against her, thrusting my cock deep inside of her. "Ungh… and I like it when you fuck me hard."

"Oh you do, do you?" I asked as I leaned down, plunging my cock deeper inside of her as I kept my eyes trained on Bella's. Her hands remained above her head with one of mine holding her in place as my hips moved harder, fucking her desperately. "You like when I tell you how much I adore fucking your tight wet cunt?"

"Oh fuck yes," Bella choked out as my lips descended on hers and I bit her bottom lip, tugging it slightly.

"And you like when I tell you that when I get you back to my house, I'm going to fuck you so hard you'll be coming for days?"

"Oh Jesus fuck, yes," Bella screamed out as I let go of my grip on her hip and reached my hand down to find her aching clit.

"Do you like when I rub your clit, my sweet, sweet girl?"

"Rub, bite, lick, suck… I love it all, Edward. Oh fuck, I love it when you touch me."

"That's my dirty girl," I said with a hint of a smile as Bella's hips began moving back and forth against mine. She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me closer to her.

"Yes… fuck yes… I'm your dirty girl," she screamed as we both came together, grunting and screaming madly, as I shuddered at my release. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me as I lay down on the bed, her body molding perfectly to mine.

"Fuck… you are incredible," I said genuinely as I looked up at the doorway and saw Alice standing there with her mouth wide open in shock. "Holy shit," I yelled as I grabbed the comforter and tried in vain to wrap it around Bella and me, but Alice just stood motionless and didn't move an inch.

"Oh. My. God. You guys… Christ on a cracker. My eyes…" she shouted out as she finally bolted from the doorway as Bella and I began scrambling for some clothes, since ours were now scattered around the house.

When we made our way downstairs after taking a moment to compose ourselves, everyone was standing in the living room looking rather frantic. Alice however, looked scared to death.

"What the hell is wrong?" Bella questioned as she curled into my side and we looked at our friends with curiosity.

"Well Jasper here almost called the cops cause the house looks like it was broken into," said Rosalie sternly as her eyes darted around the room and mine followed, taking in the broken lamp, the picture that had fallen from the wall and the clothes strewn about. It really was a bit of a disaster. "Then as we are surveying the damage, the most god awful noises, moans and screams start coming from upstairs."

"I thought Bella was being attacked or something."

"Did you not here me begging Edward to fuck me? I would think that would deter you from coming up the stairs," Bella chastised her friend. "You're too curious for your own good, Alice."

"Hold the phone… Alice walked in on you and Bella fucking like crazy?" questioned Emmett as a huge grin graced his face and he winked at me knowingly. I simply nodded my head slowly. "Way to go. How much did you see Ali?"

"Way too fucking much," Alice said with a sigh as Jasper wrapped his arm around her shoulder supportively.

"Well there ya go. Consider that your punishment for ruining my birthday party for Bella," I said with a smirk as I grabbed Bella's hand and led her back up the stairs. "Come on, baby… let's go fuck on Alice's bed."

**Just as an FYI: with flightlessbird11's upcoming school schedule, there may not be an update next Sunday. We're kinda wanting her to finish the school year. FF will take a back seat for a few days. don't hate us. Hate SUNY**


	30. ObLaDi, ObLaDa

**FLB11: So, I finally got Facebook.**

**CPW: It's about time woman.**

**FLB11: Oh shut it. You only got yours a week before me. Come find me as Flightless- Bird-Eleven. I'm funny and stuff.**

**CPW: Speaking of funny… we got nominated for a Giggle Snort Award for Best Emmett. All the nominees are listed at gigglesnortawards (dot) mmmboptastic (dot) com / nominations (dot) php Voting opens on May 20th.**

**FLB11: Yeah, what she said. We don't own Twilight; but I am almost done with my semester, I promise. No promise on the update next Sunday though. It's a long weekend in Canada and CPW may be AWOL.**

**BPOV**

Thanksgiving.

Six months ago, if you had told me I'd be spending the holiday with my parents – together, in the same house – and my _boyfriend_, who I happened to be hopelessly in love with, in Forks, Washington, I probably would have laughed in your face.

Edward and I had gotten into a nice routine since we left the Jersey Shore two months earlier. We spent a lot of time together expanding our artistic abilities. Edward and I would go around the city, him taking pictures and me sketching random things that caught my eye. If Edward wasn't hidden away in his darkroom, he would even come with me to walk the dogs, although the busier I got with my art, the less it seemed I had time to do it. However, I wasn't ready to stop doing it altogether. Our life together was unique, fun-filled and perfect for us. I wouldn't pass up our time together for anything.

As Edward and I sat on the plane, I couldn't help but think about how different my life was compared to before I met Edward. I was still the same person, mostly, except I didn't have an overwhelming anxiety hanging over me. Kinda like Joe Btfsplk walking around with a rain cloud over his head all the time. Edward was definitely the sun I needed to clear that little precipitation problem.

As if he had been reading my mind, I felt Edward's hand slip over my own as he entwined his fingers in between mine gently. "Whatcha thinkin' about, baby?" he asked, his worlds melting together as he slurred. Edward wasn't too good with airplanes, so I had him take some Dramamine before we left. I was reaping the benefits of that during the ride.

"Um, you know that character from the one comic strip, the one that constantly has a rain cloud over his head to symbolize his bad luck?" Edward's brow wrinkled, but nodded after thinking for a moment.

"Yeah, you mean Joe… Bit-fs-plick?" I snorted and laughed at his drugged attempt to pronounce the impossible name.

"Yep, that's the one."

"Why were ya thinkin' 'bout himmmmm?" Edward questioned, drawing out the last syllable of the word and giggling at the sound it made. He was freakishly reminding me of Emmett, and I wasn't sure if I liked it for the time being or if it was frightening me.

"Well I was… and you… oh, never mind," I stammered, not really wanting to explain my weird train of thought while he was in La La Land, all hopped up on happy pills. I was considering pulling out my digital camera so I could record some of this for a special viewing later though.

"Okaaaaaaaaaaay. I'm thirsty, are you thirsty? I think those pills made me thirsty."

"'Kay, let's get you a drink, babe," I said as I rubbed his arm soothingly. I kissed his cheek before looking for a flight attendant with the drink cart. "Hey, you know what?"

"What?" he asked with a smirk. God that was sexy. If he hadn't been all drugged up, I probably would have asked him to join the mile high club with me. Then again, there was always the flight home.

"I love you. Don't ever stop being you."

"I love you, too, Bella," he said seriously, and my mission to get him something to drink was momentarily forgotten as he kissed me tenderly.

Even though he was currently not _my_ Edward, what with the happy pills and all, _my_ Edward wouldn't be himself if he wasn't so stupid on the pills, and I had to admit that I loved him even more.

Four hours later, we were picking up our luggage at Sea Tac Airport, waiting for my mom and Phil to arrive since they had hit traffic on the way over. The Dramamine had worn off by then, and Edward was back to his normal self, and I was actually a little relieved. An already silly girl can only take so much ridiculousness from her drugged up boyfriend. I did, however, have video to commemorate the experience.

"Bella, baby!" I heard the faint shrieking voice of my mother call out from a distance. Edward and I immediately whipped our bodies around to face her, turning away from the spinning carousel of luggage.

"Oh my god," I mumbled as I saw Renee and Phil ambling towards us. Edward nudged me playfully. I looked into his eyes and saw his dependable reassuring smile, the one that I could always count on when I thought I wasn't ready for something.

"Hi, Mom," I said as she wrapped me in a tight hug. I squeezed her back; I was happy to see her, considering I hadn't seen her since August when I was in the hospital recovering from my accident. Her touch was warm and loving, and it made me feel safe. It was the first time in so long that I had let myself feel that tenderness, and I knew that Edward was the reason that I was able to in that moment.

"Hello, Edward," Renee said genuinely. She gave him the same affectionate smile that she gave me and then pulled him into a hug.

"Hey, Renee, how are you?" he asked happily, enveloping her in a hug. I loved watching the two of them interact after such a long period of time; it was like no time at all had passed. My mother was treating the love of my life like he was her own son, and nothing could have made me happier than that.

_Well, maybe fortune telling abilities, so I could tell if Charlie is going to shoot Edward tomorrow._

I sauntered over to Phil and gave him a friendly, one-armed hug as I rid myself of all the mushy thoughts that the holiday seemed to already be bringing me. "Hey, Phil. How ya been?" I asked with a smile. He really was a good guy, I always knew that, but I could better understand everything now that my views on relationships weren't skewed. In hindsight, I was glad that my mother had found him.

"Eh, same shit, different day," he said with a wink as Edward approached us. He and Phil shook hands as I introduced them and then Phil and my mother helped us scour the carousel for our bags, I whispered to Edward that meeting Phil was kind of like a trial run for meeting Charlie.

I laughed. Edward didn't.

I knew that my father was going to be a little overprotective of me, considering Edward was the only real boyfriend that I had ever brought home before, but I was trying to reassure Edward that Charlie wouldn't actually hate him. Anyone who could see how good Edward was to me; how much he loved me, and how happy he made me, could never hate him.

The four of us got our bags and climbed into Renee and Phil's small sedan as we rode three hours back to Forks. We chatted about my painting and Edward's freelance photography job with the New Yorker, which he'd been working for the last two and a half months. I was so proud of him, and ever since he quit the greeting card company in September, there was a new light that emanated from him. Anyone who looked at him knew that he was so much happier.

By the time we arrived at Renee and Phil's house, it was nearly dinnertime and we were all starving. Edward and I got all of our stuff into the guest bedroom as Phil ordered pizza for us. We ate in the living room while we watched the newest episode of The Deadliest Catch, which apparently Phil was obsessed with. By the time it was over and we'd cleaned up from dinner, Edward and I were exhausted, so we bid Renee and Phil goodnight and headed upstairs where we both showered and got ready for bed.

I lay in bed, already under the covers, as it was colder in Washington than in New York, thinking about the following day. I wasn't sure how I would feel with my whole family together, plus Edward. All I could do was hope that it wouldn't be one big clusterfuck. My daydreaming was interrupted when I felt the bed shift as Edward climbed in, looking like pure sex after his shower. His hair was damp and more unruly than normal. Exacerbating the situation was that he was shirtless, clad in only a pair of sleep pants.

"Hey," I greeted him, my body betraying me as I took in his chest and the treasure trail that led into his pants.

"Hey," he said softly. He leaned over and kissed my mouth gently; warming my senses as his lips began exploring mine.

Delicate kisses turned into fluid tongues sliding against each other, hands grasping at clothing and bare skin, searching for the right contact. Edward's hand slipped around my waist and pulled me closer to him, allowing me to feel the excitement inside his pants. I whimpered at the feeling, torn between stopping and going further. I didn't want anyone to hear us, but I wanted him so badly. I pulled away from his amazing lips and looked into his hooded, dark green eyes, searching for a silent answer to my unspoken question.

"Should we…?" I asked, wanting him to help me fill in the blank.

Edward's mouth found mine again, but I could feel the tension behind this kiss. All too soon his lips were gone, only to travel to my jaw, and then to my neck. "I want you," he whispered. I shivered as his hot breath fanned the spot behind my ear.

"I can be quiet," I said as he pulled back to look at me. I smiled angelically at him and reached my hand between us, palming him through his pants. I placed long, languid kisses along his neck, down to his collarbone and across the top of his chest. "Can you be quiet?"

"Fuck, yes," he sighed. His lips captured mine once again, and he massaged my breasts underneath my t-shirt. I broke away from him momentarily so I could help him get the shirt off, which was soon followed by both of our sweatpants. There was nothing separating us as we grabbed and squeezed and explored each other.

Edward leaned back to rummage through his bag, for a condom no doubt. He came back and pulled the foil wrapper between his teeth and sheathed himself. No words were exchanged as he hitched my leg over his hip and slid inside me slowly. I buried my face in the crook of his neck to try and stifle the moan that escaped as he eased inside me.

I couldn't hear anything save for our labored breathing as our hips gained momentum and began moving together in a slow, constant rhythm. The position we were in allowed for little movement, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from Edward's. It was like he could see inside me, and all I could see as I gazed into the world of green was every single time he told me he loved me. The words reverberated in my mind in the silent room, and I leaned forward and kissed his lips fervently.

"Are you close?" he asked against my lips. I could feel the coil in my stomach tightening, and I could tell by the slight crease in Edward's brow that he was close as well. I nodded as I felt his hand slip between us and rub my clit torturously.

"God, Edward," I murmured. His mouth moved to mine again, slipping his tongue between my lips as he pressed harder against my nub with each stroke. With a slow, intense build, I shuddered, feeling him twitching and pulsing inside me as we came together. I rested my head against his chest as our panting turned into shallow breaths. He kissed my cheek and pulled out of me.

"I'll be right back," he whispered as I felt the cold release of his departure. He sauntered over to the bathroom to get cleaned up, and I pulled my clothes from the floor and pulled them back on, before resituating myself comfortably inside the blankets. Edward pulled his pants back on and climbed into bed with me, pulling me to my favorite spot, close against his chest once again.

"Shit," he hissed after a few quiet moments.

"What?"

"What are we going to do about the used condom that's in the bathroom garbage? I don't want your mother finding that," he whispered tensely. I laughed at his worried thoughts and kissed his cheek.

"First of all, my mother has someone come to clean the house every week, and I know that she'll have it done as soon as we're gone, so don't worry about that. And secondly, I'm pretty sure my mother would rejoice in the fact that we can't keep our hands off each other long enough to not fuck in her house," I giggled. It was true, although I was pretty sure that Renee would have preferred we go without the condom in the first place.

Edward sighed in relief as we nuzzled further into each other, settling comfortably for a good night's rest.

"I love you, baby."

"I love you, too," I mumbled against his chest.

The next day, it was nothing but rustling and bustling around the kitchen. Charlie arrived around one, and Edward's face nearly drained of all color. "It's okay, don't worry about Charlie. He's going to love you," I said, punctuating it with a kiss on his cheek. I greeted my father at the door and introduced him to Edward.

"Dad, this is Edward, my boyfriend. Edward, this is Charlie, my father."

"It's nice to meet you, Sir," Edward said as he shook Charlie's hand firmly. My dad eyed Edward tentatively for a moment before finally breaking the awkward silence.

"Same to you, Edward," my father said, and it actually sounded somewhat genuine. I smiled at the two of them and was immediately relieved that the day might not be completely awkward.

"Bella, honey, can you come help me with the potatoes?" I heard my mother's voice call from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes as Edward and I ambled into the kitchen. I almost asked him why he didn't sit down in the living room with Charlie, but I realized that he probably wasn't too comfortable with that idea just yet.

I began mashing the potatoes as my mother suggested, and Edward stood behind me with his hands on my hips, not making the mashing process any easier. Renee walked out of the kitchen, and not five minutes later, the doorbell rang again. Edward's hands froze on my hips.

"I thought you said it was just your dad that was coming today? I'm not prepared for anymore overbearing relatives," he whispered against my neck.

"It was only him," I insisted as I put down the masher and led Edward towards the front door to greet the guests that had arrived.

"Oh my god, Esme, Carlisle! You're here!" my mother's shrieking voice rings out from the living room.

_Oh shit._

**EPOV**

"Oh my god Renee, they are so adorable together," gushed my mother as she walked in the front room of the Dwyer house and encompassed Bella and I into a huge hug that shocked the hell out of both of us. What in the hell had happened to my prim and proper Chicago society mother? I watched dumbfounded as my mother then latched onto Renee and the two of them strode excitedly into the kitchen, yammering on happily about my mother's flight. When I looked back towards the door, there stood my father looking a little out of place, not that I could blame him.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Dad," I said genuinely as I pulled in him for a warm hug and then took a step back, grasping Bella's hand in mine. "Dad, this is my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, this is my dad, Carlisle Cullen."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Cullen," Bella said sweetly as she took his outstretched hand and shook it genially.

"The pleasure is all mine, Bella. Please, call me Carlisle," he replied as Charlie and Phil walked into the room a moment later and I proceeded to introduce everyone. "I apologize for my wife storming in here. She's changed somewhat since she visited Edward in August." Bella and I looked at each other with sly smiles, knowing full well that Renee was the reason for the change in Esme. Carlisle then proceeded to let us know she was more carefree than he had seen her in years, but that he was pleased to see her being more like the woman he fell in love with.

"Mom used to be wild and crazy?" I asked incredulously as Charlie led us all into the living room to watch some football while the moms busied themselves in the kitchen with gossip and finishing the potatoes. "I find that rather hard to believe."

"Your mother was a little vixen before we got married."

"Dad, I don't need to hear that much," I said overdramatically as everyone in the room broke out into laughter.

"Let's just say that your mother and I had our fair share of fun in the seventies. Although, I think the fashion back then left a lot to be desired."

"You didn't like the polyester leisure suit, Carlisle?" questioned Bella as she sat beside me and squeezed my hand gently. "I bet you looked dashing in one that was a bright shade of orange with lime green pinstripes."

"He would look like a pimp. Tell me you didn't wear anything like that, Dad?"

"Not so much. Give me a comfortable pair of pants, my golf shirt and my clubs and I'm my happiest." Suddenly, Charlie and Phil were a lot more interested in what Carlisle had to say now that they knew he was a golfer. The dads then began rambling on about their handicap, Charlie's disdain for Phil Mickelson and the whole Tiger Woods debacle as Bella nuzzled into my side, enjoying the fact that our families got along so well. I had to admit, even though my parents' arrival was a complete surprise, I was relieved to see everyone getting along like peas and carrots.

Ten minutes later, Renee came out of the kitchen and informed everyone that dinner was being served. Bella pulled me up from the couch with her and we let all the parents lead the way into the cozy dining room. Renee had clearly pulled out her best china settings for the event, and I was thoroughly impressed by the spread she had set up. "Here's the trick to Renee's thanksgiving dinners," Bella whispered to me once we had taken our seats beside each other at the table. "Phil has a very low tolerance for her food. He has the digestion of a sick child and can't tolerate most of her unique cooking endeavors. Keep an eye on him before you start eating. If he smiles, then the whole meal is a success and you can eat."

"So I shouldn't eat unless Phil smiles?" I questioned as Bella nodded her head enthusiastically. "That's a little fucked up, isn't it?" Renee came in at that moment with the turkey on a rather ornate platter and placed it down in front of Phil, before sitting down beside me and insisting that we all bow our heads to say grace.

"We give thanks for our family, new and existing, which join us here tonight. We are especially thankful that our Bella has found someone meant just for her, in Edward, and that with him comes Esme and Carlisle, the latest members to the Swan / Dwyer Family," Renee began saying as she let out a brief hiccup and I wondered how much she and my mother had to drink while they were in the kitchen earlier. They weren't technically in there that long, they couldn't have drank too much, could they? "We are also thankful that Charlie has recovered so well from his heart attack and Bella from her accident. We are looking forward to more healthy, happy and potentially wedding filled times in the next year. Amen." My mother shouted out an enthusiastic 'amen' when Renee ended, before they looked at each other from across the table and winked excitedly. Bella and I both let out a groan and even Charlie shook his head, not shocked that Renee would mention a wedding in the Thanksgiving prayer.

The room then erupted in casual conversations as Phil stood up and began carving the turkey with precision. I was actually very impressed. My father, the surgeon, usually butchered the thanksgiving turkey, that was until my mother started having it catered in an effort to impress her friends. I stopped watching Phil and looked over to my mother who was scooping loads of mashed potatoes onto her plate and laughing happily with my father. The change in her was unmistakable and even though Renee was a bit pushy, she really was a godsend for my mother. It was like I was looking at a new woman.

I was pulled out of my haze by Bella nudging me and pointing towards Phil, who was about to take a bite of his meal. I couldn't help but notice that both Charlie and Bella were waiting for Phil to give his approval of the meal, and when he smiled in approval, I couldn't help but feel relieved. After all, the food looked really good and smelled even better, so I couldn't wait to start eating.

After we'd all served ourselves a plate full of food, Renee thought it would be a novel idea if we all said one or two things that we were thankful for. "Mom, you do this every year and you are always thankful for the same damn thing," Bella chastised as I shoveled a fork full of turkey and gravy into my mouth.

"Well, this year is different, Bells. Didn't you notice that things were different around here?" Renee replied as she motioned with her hand to my parents and Bella simply nodded in reply. "That's because this year I am thankful for my new friend Esme and her lovely husband Carlisle, who I must say is quite the looker. That mixture of salt & pepper with your blonde hair really works for you, Carlisle," Renee finished as she then clinked glasses with my mother.

"I agree, Renee," my mother announced as I choked on my food and Bella took a huge gulp of the wine in front of her to deal with the awkwardness. "I'm thankful for my adoring husband, my wonderful son and his soon-to-be bride."

"Mom," I shouted out in frustration as Esme put her drink down and held her hands up in surrender. "Okay, here's the deal. You guys need to stop with all this wedding and baby talk, I'm looking at you mothers," I said emphatically as my eyes moved between Esme and Renee, and Bella gripped my hand supportively. "I know you love the idea of us being together forever, and we like it too, but we don't need any pressure, alright? We're happy with how things are going right now."

"Yeah, what he said," Bella said with a laugh as Phil looked up from his plate with a mouthful of food.

"Who-th having a baa-by?"

"No one," Bella and I shouted at the same time as Phil looked remorseful for speaking at all.

"How about I take my turn?" I said as I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "I'm thankful for finding Bella and even more thankful that she loves me as much as I love her. I'm also thankful for our families, who have suddenly learned to shut their mouths." Bella leaned in and kissed me on the cheek as both Esme and Renee swooned and I wondered if anything we said had sunk in.

"I'm thankful that the Seahawks are off to a good start this season. I'm also thankful for Carmen," said Charlie with a small smile as he bent his head back down and continued eating.

"Who's Carmen?"

"Charlie's girlfriend," Renee piped in as Bella looked between her mother to her father with surprise.

"Oh come on Bells, you find the love of your life, according to your mother, and I don't get to date?" Charlie said with a smug grin as he took a bite of his bread and looked at Bella expectantly.

"I never said it was bad, Dad. I was just surprised is all. You'd think you would have told me sooner."

"Oh yeah, cause you call sooo often, right?" he asked, though this time he sounded a bit frustrated with his daughter.

"Well, I guess it's my turn now," said Phil, interrupting the impending argument between Bella and her dad. "I'm thankful for the new Titileist golf balls they just released cause they look awesome!" he said enthusiastically as everyone at the table looked at him in awe. "I'm thankful for Ichiro Suzuki cause he had an awesome season for the Mariners and I'm thankful Renee and Esme found each other, so Renee can stop blathering on to me about meaningless shit. Love you babe." Phil blew Renee a kiss as I sat there with my mouth wide open. What the hell was wrong with these people?

"You're a shit, Phil. It's Thanksgiving and you give thanks to the Mariners?"

"Charlie gave thanks to the Seahawks."

"Well, Charlie isn't my husband," Renee admonished as my mother suddenly stood up, calling attention to herself as she spilled her wine on the table.

"Oh my god," my mother slurred as I let out a groan and Renee handed her several napkins to clean up the mess. "I'm thankful for wonderful family, great friends and a bright looking future." As my mother sat back down she winked at me and then threw all the wet napkins on the floor.

"Okay, what the hell is going on here? It's like the fucking Twilight Zone," Bella shouted as she stood up from the table, pushing her chair back into the wall with a thud. "This is supposed to be a wonderful family holiday. Instead, I'm stuck here with my lush of a mother, her crazy husband and my closed off dad. Then to add insult to injury, my boyfriend's parents no doubt think that they have landed in the seventh circle of hell and will most likely spend the rest of the night convincing their son that he could do better than me."

"Umm… Renee and I may have done shots in the kitchen," my mother said sheepishly as my eyes opened wide. What the hell? In all my years, I never knew my mother to do shots. "She made them special. They were called … what was it Renee?"

"Screaming orgasms."

"This is a nightmare… this is a nightmare," Bella chanted to herself as she reached up and pinched her arm as though she was thinking she really was in a dream.

"They were so tasty, too," my mother said with a giggle as Charlie suddenly stood up and pounded his fist on the table.

"Okay, this is enough of this nonsense. First of all, you two girls are cut off," he said forcefully as he grabbed their wine glasses and put them on the kitchen counter. "Secondly, people can be thankful for whatever the fuck they want. I'm thankful my daughter didn't fall in love with a serial killer and that Edward has no criminal record."

"Daddy, did you do a background check on Edward?" Bella shouted as I buried my head in my hands and let out a deep breath.

"Renee made me do it," he replied anxiously as he pointed to Renee who just shrugged her shoulders indifferently.

"Okay. I'm thankful that this horrible annoying game is over with. Now let's eat this fucking dinner before it gets too cold." Everyone looked over at my father whose outburst has caught us all off guard. "Amen."

Suddenly, loud raucous laughter broke out around the table as everyone seemed to take a calming breath after Carlisle's surprise shouting. The frustration and fighting was forgotten as everyone focused on their plates in front of them and began eating their now lukewarm meals. As I looked up from my plate for a moment, feeling Bella's hand graze my thigh, I caught a glance from Charlie, reminding me of our earlier encounter where he basically attempted to interrogate me.

"_Edward, why don't you join me on the back porch for a beer?" Charlie said casually, sounding remarkably calm. Bella had already forewarned me that he would attempt to do the overprotective dad thing, since he had never had the chance to do it when she was growing up, opting not to bring boys home at all. I nodded my head and followed him out as Bella gave me a gentle smile and blew me a kiss._

"_So… Bella told me you're a photographer?"_

"_Yes, Sir," I responded nervously as my clammy hands fumbled as I tried to open the beer. Charlie took it from me and popped the top off in one go, making me feel a little less like a man. Then again, around the police chief of Forks, Washington, most guys felt like less. He was a little daunting, after all._

"_Is this a steady job? Will you be able to support my daughter if something um… unexpected … should happen?" Oh my god, this was painful and awkward. I may have been praying at that moment for the ground to open up and swallow me whole._

"_Yes,Ssir. I mean… your daughter and I are being overly careful so there should be no… unexpected surprises in the near future," I stammered as my heart literally wanted to jump out of my chest. _Jesus fuck, did I just admit to my girlfriends' dad that we were fucking? This isn't good. _Abort. Abort._

"_So… anyways, yeah… I'm currently freelancing for the New Yorker and have an upcoming exhibit at a rather popular gallery in New York City that I'm rather excited about. If you are wondering about finances, I've got some savings set aside and am doing fairly well for myself. At least I think so."_

"_Do you love her?"_

"_With my entire heart."_

"_Then that's good for me," Charlie said as he slapped me on the shoulder and took a long pull from his beer. "We can pretend I beat you up a bit more than I really did. I could tell the moment you walked in here that you loved Bella more than life itself, so I'm happy for you. Just don't hurt her."_

"_I promise I won't, Charlie."_

"_I preferred Sir."_

"_Yes, Sir."_

"_And Edward… don't forget, I'm legally allowed to have weapons in my house. I'm also trained and not afraid to use them."_

"_Yes, Sir."_

"_Oh and by the way, do not accept any condoms from Renee or Esme. I have it on good authority that they may have poked holes in a package or two. In fact, check your luggage before you leave in case they slip some in. I'm not old enough to be a grandfather yet."_

As soon as dinner was over, Bella and I volunteered to clean everything up, just so we could separate ourselves from the parents. After the dishwasher was loaded and started, we worked on scrubbing some of the pans that were leftover and Bella found Renee and Esme sneaking shots of tequila from the pantry. We turned a blind eye when they went back into the living room to spend time with the dads, who were busy trying to focus on the football game that Phil had paused on his TIVO earlier.

Bella grabbed a bag of garbage and moved towards the back door, motioning with her hand for me to join her and we silently slipped out, unnoticed by the parents.

"This was a pretty random night, huh?" Bella said with a laugh as she tossed the garbage bag in the old school metal can and then grabbed my hand, leading me towards the back of the house.

"Random? It was completely fucked up and so damned aggravating. How the hell does your family function?" I questioned as I wrapped my arm around her waist and pushed her up against the siding on the wall.

"Surprisingly well. Now shut up and kiss me." My mouth reacted before my brain did, because my lips descended on hers as my mind caught up to her request. Bella's hands threaded through my hair as she lifted her leg, hitching it onto my hip as my hand ran down and began stroking the soft skin on the underside of her thigh. "Ungh, more," Bella growled as I pushed harder against her, my erection now grinding against her pussy as she continued to pant. If we weren't outside a house filled with our parents, I would have seriously considering tugging her panties down and fucking the hell out of her against the wall, since she was oh so conveniently wearing a skirt.

"Fuck, Bella… can we go check into a hotel?" I whispered into her ear as I heard some soft rustling behind us and Bella froze against me.

"Esme, I found them," shouted Renee as I rested my forehead against Bella's shoulder and groaned at the sheer bad timing of Renee Dwyer. "They were humping against the wall."

There was a loud squeal from inside the house from my mother and Bella let out a sigh as I let go of her leg and she stood up by herself. "By the way, kids, you can't make babies with your clothes on. I'll pretend I saw nothing and you can continue on with what you were doing." Renee turned on her heel and walked away, skipping joyfully as she headed back into the house.

"Not so horny anymore, huh?" Bella asked in a melancholy voice.

"Yeah… it's gone. Sorry, baby."

"Not as sorry as I am to have such a spaz for a mother."

**Outfits are on our profiles. Now click that button with the weird little speech bubbles next to it and leave us some love!**


	31. To Know Her is to Love Her

**FLB11: Happy Memorial Day!**

**CPW: We're back, are you shocked? By the way, I'm Canadian, I don't get Memorial Day.**

**FLB11: Sucks to be you then. You know what else sucks?**

**CPW: My beloved Montreal Canadiens for losing to the Flyers?**

**FLB11: Well that, but it also sucks that we only have 5 chapters left, including this one.**

**CPW: Don't remind me *****sobs into her keyboard***

**FLB11: Overdramatic fool. It will be just fine. After all, I have my new story 'Yesterday' to keep us both busy.**

**CPW: Big hugs to MaggieMay14 for beta'ing this beast so quickly.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight. We will be handing out tissues for the epilogue though.**

**BPOV**

"Alice, I never would have agreed to go Christmas shopping with you if I had known that we'd spend the entire time in a sex shop, and while Rose isn't even working," I griped as I looked over at Rose with a sympathetic glance. We were both watching painfully as Alice flipped through everything in the store.

Apparently she and Jasper were trying to 'spice things up,' and they were in the process of trying out all kinds of weird sex toys. She was in the middle of rationalizing with herself, may I add, if a sex sling or one of those sex ramps would be a better Christmas gift for Jasper. All I wanted to do was get a frame for the painting that I was giving Edward, and then hopefully get some coffee in my system, but no, Miss Sex-A-Lot had other plans.

Not that she and Jasper had anything on me and Edward. We were pretty much insatiable… minus all the fancy toys. Most of the time, anyway.

"Oh, calm down. I can come back later, I guess. I just can't decide which he'd like better. The man is happy in whatever position we're in. I mean, does he realize how hard that makes this for me?" she complained, throwing her hands up in the air. Rose and I simply stared at her, waiting for the bitching to cease.

"I thought you liked it when he was hard for you?" Rosalie snickered as I let out a small laugh and Alice rolled her eyes.

"I meant it was difficult. Why do you always have to have our mind in the gutter?" Alice replied coolly.

"Says the girl debating between two rather ostentatious sex toys in the middle of a sex shop?" I added, unable to prevent throwing my two cents in.

"Shut it. I hate when you get all fucking logical on me. It's just such a big purchase. It's not like I'm buying shoes, I'm buying furniture, so to speak, and we don't even live together," Alice mentioned as she continued to look between the two items, unable to decide. I could only imagine the current thoughts running through her mind and the entire concept made me shiver uncomfortably.

"Don't you spend more on shoes in one month than you would on these toys?" I countered as Rosalie interrupted my next thought.

"Alice, why don't you just get him both? You'd be getting my employee discount, so why not just go for the gusto, so to speak?" Rose offered. I could tell she wanted out of this just as much as I did.

"Hmm, I guess you're right. It's not like he'll be complaining, right?" I rolled my eyes in Alice's general direction as Rose helped her, making sure that the bimbo at the register gave Rosalie's employee discount to Alice, which practically cut her purchase in half.

As I waited for them to finish their purchases, I let my mind wander to Edward… and Christmas _with_ Edward. I always loved the holidays, but now that I actually had someone to share it with it seemed all the more special. I wasn't anxious about it like I had been for Thanksgiving, since we were spending it in New York, minus our parents.

Luckily, Edward and I had convinced our parents to stay home for the holiday instead of coming to see us. We reassured them that they had no reason to worry about us and that we would be fine and together for the holidays. My mother sounded a bit disappointed she wouldn't get to see the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, but I reminded her it was at the end of November and there was no way in hell she was staying here for a month. I told her to watch it on NBC like the rest of the American viewing public. We were both surprised when they readily agreed, and Edward and I decided that we shouldn't question it. Also, we feared that they'd all be spending time together during Christmas, since Esme may have mentioned having my parents fly into Chicago, so in the long run and for our own sanity, it was better if we didn't have details.

When they were finally done, Rosalie and Alice both looked absolutely exasperated. "Oh my god, that girl is so stupid. I'm sorry that you have to put up with that, Rose," Alice whispered as soon as we reached the door. She picked up her normal, obnoxious voice as soon as we were outside. "I mean, seriously, she should quit that job and just go straight to being a porn star."

"Eh, don't worry about it, Alice. I'm the manager, remember? I get to make the schedule, which means that I get to make sure I don't have to be in the same ten mile radius as her," Rose laughed. "Except when my _friends_ make me go in there on days that I'm not working so they can buy cheap sex toys for their boyfriends."

Alice narrowed her eyes at Rose, but I changed the subject before the conversation could continue on, again, about those damn toys. "We could get her an audition for a porno. You know, give her a fake name and everything," I said.

"Hmmm, I think you're right, Bella. Jessica Stanley. It doesn't sound porn star-y enough," Rose added.

"She needs something that stands out more, like Waffle or something," Alice piped in. Rose and I both looked at her curiously, but Waffle did suit the girl.

"Ooh, we could call her Waffle and say she's from Belgium." We all laughed at my comment and headed to a custom framing place on Greenwich Avenue, so I could get a frame for Edward's present. Luckily, it was rather warm for mid-December, otherwise walking the few blocks would have been painful.

I ended up choosing a simple wooden frame that would look amazing in his apartment hanging against the nearly vacant wall in the living room. All I could hope is that he'd like it enough to want to hang it there. We had one more stop, where Rose picked up her gift for Emmett, and we were finally, _finally_ finished. As we were heading home, we stopped in at the dry cleaners to pick up my dress for Edward's first gallery showing, which was later that evening. I was so happy and proud of him it was teetering on the edge of absurd, but he deserved all the praise and awe that Jacob and everyone at the New Yorker had been giving him over the past few months.

Just as we walked back into the house, all of us wanting to collapse on the couch and pass out from exhaustion, my phone buzzed. I looked down and smiled, seeing a text message from the aforementioned photographer himself.

_Meet me at Common Grounds? I need a Sexy Coffee Girl fix ;) – E _

I let out an 'I'm-so-in-love-of-course-it's-corny' sigh, and obviously began thinking back to our frequent coffee dates at Common Grounds over the summer, and realized how different things had become in just a few short months. We didn't have them as often as we used to, so of course I was eager to have the chance today, especially considering Edward's showing was quickly approaching and he had been swamped preparing for everything lately. He was probably a nervous wreck, and for no apparent reason that I could see. I knew he was going to knock all those buyers off their feet, so I sent him back a simple message and vowed to ease his nerves when I saw him.

_I'll be there in ten. – B _

I grudgingly put my boots and coat back on after I put Edward's frame away in my closet, topping the ensemble off with a hat I'd gotten at Alice's store a few years back. I walked through the streets, the wind making the formerly comfortable air chilly and making my way to the small coffee house. When I walked in, I caught a glimpse of the most beautiful ass I'd ever seen. Edward was bending down slightly, hanging his coat on the back of a chair, and I couldn't resist what I did next.

Walking up behind him, quite stealthily I might add, I pinched one of his cheeks between my fingers and couldn't hold in my giggles when Edward turned around and yelped. Once he realized it was me, he gave me a goofy evil eye before softly kissing me on the cheek.

"Expecting someone else?" I joked as he rubbed my arm. Sitting down in the seat across from him, I took off my hat and coat, lightening the weight on my shoulders.

"Yeah, this really sexy girl who's always in here dropping change all over the place and the like," Edward said with a smirk.

"Ooh, you know I think I have seen her, but I have to warn you, she usually comes in with her boyfriend." We leaned closer to each other with each word we spoke, and I could feel Edward's warm breath on my cheek.

"Is that so?"

"Yep. Sorry."

"Don't be," he murmured before enclosing my lips with his.

"I miss doing this," I said, gesturing to the table and atmosphere around us.

"The kissing or the coffee?" he questioned as he pulled out a chair for me, before kissing me softly again.

"Both? After all, you have been busy lately with prep for the showing." Edward simply nodded at my comment, and I could tell that he was busying his thoughts with something else. His eyes were far away and he was playing with the edge of his coffee cup. I felt like I was at the table by myself, so I got up and ordered my latte, watching Edward think to himself. I could tell that he was worried about his first showing, and I needed him to know that there really wasn't anything to worry about. I sat back down a moment later with my drink in my hand and tried to loosen him up a bit.

"So, I have something to tell you," I said simply. When he merely nodded again, I continued. "I'm moving to California, and I really think we should try seeing other people."

Nothing. Just another nod.

I slammed my cup on the table as hard as I could without spilling it. "Earth to Edward," I said, probably louder than I should have in a public place, but he was beginning to worry me with this behavior. "Are you okay?" I asked when his eyes finally met mine.

"Sorry. I'm just…" he trailed off. He knew that I understood what was bothering him.

"Nervous, I know. I can tell. Baby, there's nothing for you to be worried about, okay?" I placed my hand over his gingerly, assuring him that he would be fine. He would be more than fine, actually. "You're an amazing photographer, and most of those people that will be there tonight, won't even know who you are. You will blend in just like everyone else." When his brow furrowed and he looked as if he wanted to object to my statement, but wasn't sure how. Then what I had said hit me. "Not that they shouldn't know who you are, but if you're nervous about people judging you, or flat out telling you that your work isn't good, which it is, incredible really, I'm just trying to assure you that no one is going to do that. Everyone who goes to these events is very professional, and most people who are interested in buying your work will go to Jacob and ask for you. Okay, I'm shutting up now."

Edward laughed at my ramblings and leaned in to kiss me again. "I love you. I guess I'm just on edge because now I actually have to witness people viewing my work for the first time. When I send in my stuff to the New Yorker, I never have to see the faces of people who see the pictures."

"Well, they are going to be lighting up like fireflies, and if they don't, I may just have to ask what the hell is wrong with them while I kick them repeatedly. So quit worrying." I rubbed my thumb over his hand in soothing circles, and Edward's face was visibly relaxing. "Plus, you've been to my showings before, so you know what to expect, right?" I smiled, knowing I had him.

"Again with the love," he said as he kissed me on the cheek. I'd have to try this reassuring technique again in the bedroom so he could kiss me in other places, preferably for hours on end.

"Yeah, yeah. I try."

We finished our coffees, talking happily about my day shopping with Alice and Rosalie, and his preparations for the gallery. By the time it was five o'clock, he had to go back to his apartment to get ready to meet Jacob, and I warned him that Alice was dropping off a suit for him.

"But I already have a suit," he objected. I felt bad for him, and I even tried to talk her out of it, but Alice wasn't having it. She was persistent as hell when she wanted to be.

"I know, I know, but she insisted, and trust me when I tell you that when it comes to fashion, if nothing else, Alice is always right. Always. She said it's like a Hugo Boss suit or something." As soon as he heard the name of the suit, Edward's eyes lit up.

"Hugo Boss, huh? That's a nice suit. Tell her not to be late," he said with an adorable smile. We both put our coats back on, and Edward plopped my hat back on my head once we were outside. "I like this on you," he commented after taking a look at me in it.

I shrugged. "Alice."

Edward kissed me one last time before we both turned to go back to our apartments. "Oh, Bella?" he asked before I even had a chance to completely turn away from him.

"Yeah?"

"If you ever have to move to California, the only other people you'll be seeing are Emmett and Jasper hauling all of my stuff into a moving truck, next to yours."

**EPOV**

"Are you kidding me right now?" I asked in frustration as I stood in front of my bathroom mirror with Alice tugging at the collar of my white dress shirt. I felt ridiculously over dressed, but she insisted that if I wanted to play the part of the talented photographer, I had to look like I owned the world. Thankfully, her little consignment shop got a practically new Hugo Boss suit in that was just my size, from a divorcee who wanted to stick it to her husband, so Alice snatched it up for me immediately.

"Edward, I've told you this repeatedly since Jacob finally told you that the show was a go, you have to look good. No more grubby khaki shorts or hideous Birkenstocks, which I think I may burn next time you aren't paying attention. You are a freelance fucking photographer for the New Yorker, Edward. You aren't some bum off the streets and you certainly aren't famous enough to dress like one and get away with it," Alice said as she loosened my top button and then brushed her hands down the back of my suit jacket, smoothing it out. "Now, let's go take on the world shall we?"

I looked over at Jasper, who was sitting on the edge of the bed fiddling with my iPod and I was desperately trying to get some sort of help from him. "How do you handle her, man?" I questioned as I walked out of the bathroom and waved Alice away. She simply huffed and insisted that Bella wasn't nearly as bad for her gallery show a few months back.

"Sometimes I tune her out and imagine having sex with her. It makes all her talking seem worthwhile," he said with a laugh.

"I heard that, dipshit," shouted Alice as she headed down the stairs to the main floor of the apartment.

"Truth is, I love that girl more than anything. Sure, she can be aggravating, annoying, frustrating, flighty and yells at too many people, but she's perfect for me. I'm sure you feel the same way about Bella, right?" he asked as I nodded my head slowly in agreement. "Good, now let's go please? Rosalie and Bella are meeting us there. Emmett has a late audition for some off-broadway musical…"

"Umm… Em is so fucking tone deaf it isn't funny," I interrupted as Jasper and I walked down the stairs to where Alice was impatiently waiting for us.

"I tried to talk the fucker out of it, but he was insistent. So I decided it was someone else's responsibility to let him know that he sucks. You know, like Simon does on American Idol."

"You two are worse than girls. Let's go. This party waits for no one. It starts at eight. We can't be late."

"We could not, would not, want to wait!" added Jasper with a huge smile, clearly finding his own joke hilarious as Alice reached up and smacked him on the back of the head.

"It's my party, Alice, I think they will wait for me," I countered as she rolled her eyes.

"Wrong, it's Jacob's party and your pretty pictures are on the walls. Deal with it and grab your fucking coat. It's cold as a witch's tit out there."

Thirty minutes later, after being stuck in hideous holiday traffic, we found ourselves wandering into the Black Gallery on West 24th Street. It felt extremely surreal to see my photos adorning the walls as people walked around, chatting casually with each other as they sipped their Cristal and complained about the snow falling outside. I couldn't blame them for bitching though because earlier in the day it was just slightly cool and felt more like October than December, then suddenly it began to snow.

As I looked around the room I felt a little out of my element, as it felt like my soul was bared for everyone to see and potentially purchase. I couldn't imagine how Bella felt at her showings throughout the past few years. It was very daunting and part of me just wanted to run the twenty blocks back home and hide in bed with Bella.

"I was wondering if you would ever get here," I heard Jacob say gleefully as I turned around and noticed he had dressed for the festivities. He was in a dark suit with red pinstripe, and the perfectly draped scarf that wrapped around his neck was embellished with a mistletoe design. If this guy hadn't been so instrumental in giving me my big break, I may have laughed at him. "Everyone is raving about your photos, Edward. In fact, I happen to know that two men seem to be in a bidding war for the rather intimate photo on the back wall."

I looked at him completely confused and when I stood up on my toes, I could see a few people gathered around a rather large photo of Bella that I had taken during the summer. It was black and white and you could see the smooth curve of her neck, her appealing back and a slight glimpse of her breast. I had gotten it enlarged for the sole purpose of keeping it for myself and to mount on my bedroom wall, for our own personal enjoyment of course. However, I couldn't figure out what the hell was it doing for sale. Who the hell had put it there?

"It's not for sale, Jacob," I replied caustically as I moved closer, my breath hitching slightly as I listened to the guests discuss it at length. Several of them were rather impressed and figured I must have used a famous model or some shit in order to get such a stunning pose. I couldn't bring myself to tell them that it was my sleeping girlfriend who they were all enjoying so much. "How did it even get here?"

"It was at the framers' with everything else. I just assumed…"

"Well, you assumed wrong. This is a private piece and was never meant to be shown. I knew I should have come down earlier to check everything out," I muttered quietly as Jacob practically sneered at me. I had opted to go out for coffee with Bella instead. I hadn't spent much time with her since we returned from Forks at Thanksgiving and I needed some time with her to calm myself down before the show. Apparently, my overwhelming need for my girlfriend backfired on me slightly.

"Yes, you should have, Edward. I told you that it was imperative that you check out everything once it was on the walls." Sam grabbed Jacob's shoulder firmly and whispered something in his ear that seemed to calm him down. Sadly, all I was seeing was red.

"Just put a sold sticker on the thing to placate him," said the familiar voice of my lovely girlfriend. I turned around and came face to face with her looking simply stunning. She was wearing a simple white dress, and when I scanned her body in confusion, I spotted the famous rainbow heels. My tension immediately eased as she looked over at the picture, then back at me with curiosity on her face. "Either that's some other woman and we need to have a talk, or you drugged me and posed me for photos against my will."

"You were sleeping," I said sheepishly as I kissed her temple and she curled into my side. "I couldn't help it. I actually climbed out of bed and tossed open my curtains. The moonlight from outside illuminated your body perfectly. I never meant for it to be in the show."

"What the hell were you going to do with it?"

"Hang it in my bedroom," I said in response as Rosalie, Alice and Jasper all came over and glared at the photo.

"You look good, Bells," said Rosalie with a nod of approval as several people nearby looked between Bella and the photo. One guy even winked at her before I wrapped my arm possessively over her shoulder and pulled her closer to my side.

"Like I said, put a sold sticker on it and claim it was bought for fifty grand. Everyone will be so floored, they will want to snatch up all your other pieces," Bella advised as Jacob nodded at her for a moment before walking away with Sam as his shadow.

"You look beautiful, by the way," I said sweetly as I turned her in my arms until I was embracing her tightly. "I was a little nervous about the show until I knew you were here. All my stress seemed to disappear."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far, Cullen. After all, I am considering ripping you a new one for taking photos of me while I slept. Post coital no less."

"Well, how many times have you sketched me without my knowledge?" I asked as Bella grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and began sipping it, repeatedly. Her eyes darted around the room aimlessly and she was clearly dodging the question. "Yeah, that's what I thought. Let's ignore the big photo on the back wall and continue on with the show, shall we?"

"Holy shit, is that a half naked picture of Bella on the back wall?" Emmett asked loudly as he walked in, still dressed in his 19th century costume from his musical audition and began to blatantly stare at the picture. "It's like one of those 3D posters I used to look at when I was a kid, except instead of seeing some shittacular boat, I think I can see a nipple."

"No, you can't," Bella and I shouted simultaneously as Rosalie walked over and smacked Emmett upside the head.

"Stop causing a scene, Emmett, and would it have killed you to have worn the clothes I laid out for you yesterday? You look and smell like a fucking beggar from the 1800's," she chastised him as he attempted to pull her close for a kiss, but she wouldn't let him anywhere near her. "Seriously, go home and change."

"But my audition was just down the road. It was so much easier this way." Emmett pleaded with her, but Rosalie was having none of it, thank god. She decided the only way to fix the problem was to take the bull by the horns, so to speak. So, she grabbed Emmett and dragged him out of the gallery before tossing him into the first cab she found and took him home.

"You know they won't be back, right?" Alice questioned as the four of us stood there, watching as the cab drove away into the night. "Yeah, they will probably get in the door and start fucking."

"Do you want to put money on it? Where do we think Emmett and Rose will get it on? Twenty dollars a bet, winner takes all," Bella suggested with a laugh as we all looked at her in shock. "What? I think they will get it on in the cab."

"That alley outside the boys' apartment building. You know, the one that had the cats in it during the summer," Alice suggested cheerfully as she handed Bella her twenty dollar bill.

"Well, Rose looked pretty determined when she left, so I bet she will make the driver leave them somewhere and they will do it outside in the snow. I think that's a new one for them," Jasper declared, sounding very confident in his choice.

"I think they will get into the apartment," I replied, offering my location for their sexcapades.

"Did I ever tell you about the time I found penis impressions in the butter in the kitchen a few weeks ago?" Jasper added as the rest of us cringed. "I threw out every ounce of butter we had in the apartment and switched to margarine. I still don't know what, how or why they were doing something with butter, but I decided it was better to not ask questions."

"You know what else would have been good?" Alice chimed in happily. "Not telling us about the possibility of Em's dick in your butter. That's just nasty and I think I may stop eating at your apartment altogether."

Thankfully, Jacob came over a moment later and informed us that he had marked the picture as sold and after politely telling Bella repeatedly how smooth her skin looked in the photo, and then begging to know what lotion she used, he offered to take it down. Bella insisted that it was fine, as long as it went home with me and no one else.

The rest of the night went by very quietly, thank god. Emmett and Rosalie never came back, but Rosalie did text Alice to let her know that they were 'detained' back at the apartment. I figured that was code for 'fucking' and decided to leave the entire topic alone. However, Alice snuck off and called her back, covertly finding out that they did in fact make it back to the apartment and ended up doing it on the bathroom counter. I was declared the winner in our bet, simply because I said they would make it inside the house. I shoved my winnings in my pocket and felt a little smug and gross for having bet on my friends' sex life.

Bella worked her way around the gallery with me, talking to interested buyers, colleagues and a few friends from the New Yorker who had come to see the show. She was at ease, definitely in her element, and I was thankful I had her by my side and in my life. As I watched her talk to a potential buyer about one of my works, I stood against the wall and watched her eagerly. Jasper came up to me a moment later and looked at me quickly before following my gaze to Bella.

"She's perfect for you, ya know."

"Yeah, I know, Jazz."

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

"I've only known her for like seven months, man. Contrary to what our mothers may think, I'm not planning to propose to her tomorrow."

"Did I ever tell you about my great-grandparents?"

"Umm… very random, but no."

"My great-grandfather, Arthur, was dating my great-grandmother, Pearl, for two weeks before he was drafted into the army to fight in World War I. He didn't want to leave her, so he married her instead, refusing to be without her. They were apart for almost two years, conversing through only sporadic letters, before he came home and they were reunited. They had my grandfather Ronald, almost 9 months to the day after he returned from duty," Jasper continued on with his story even though I looked at him with confusion clear in my eyes. "They died within a week of each other in 1995, both of them were in their mid 90's at the time. I don't remember a lot from the time I spent with them, but if there was one thing they always hammered home, it was that if you found the one, never to let them go."

"Do you feel that way about Alice?" I questioned as I watched his eyes dart across the room to the exact spot she was standing. It was like he had radar for her and I had to admit, I was pretty impressed.

"I've felt that way about Alice since the moment I met her. However, if I had proposed to her at that time, she would have thought I was some crazy idiot and never agreed to date me in the first place." Jasper patted me on the shoulder as my eyes moved to find Bella, she was still talking to the same couple she was a few minutes earlier. "What I am trying to say, even though I've been a chatty bitch about it, is that time doesn't matter. If you love her, follow your heart."

"It's easy to say when you aren't taking your own advice, Jazzy," I said with a rather haughty laugh as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black box. He glanced up, and because he knew Alice wasn't looking, he flipped it open to show a simple, yet very intricate engagement ring with a beautiful diamond set on top.

"Who said I'm not following my own advice, man? It was my great-grandmothers and I think Alice will love it."

Jasper shoved the ring back in his pocket and winked at me as he made his way towards his girlfriend, smiling brightly with each footstep. I leaned my head back and let out a small sigh as I watched Bella lead the couple she was talking to towards Jacob. She noticed me and gave a thumbs up as I smiled brightly in return and began to get overwhelmed by my thoughts.

Was I ready to marry her? Was she really all I needed in my life to make me happy? And would I love her until my dying breath? I found myself answering yes to all those questions without a second thought.

_Our mothers are going to have a coronary if I propose._


	32. From Me to You

**FLB11: I know, it's been a while. To say our RL's have been full of complete fuckery would be an understatement.**

**CPW: Yeah well, with your family fuckery and my near death experience, we've been busy.**

**FLB11: You have a cold and an ear infection. That is hardly a near death experience.**

**CPW: Seriously, do you have to take the fun out of everything?**

**FLB11: I try. Anyways didn't you want to take the time to pimp your #readalong tonight?**

**CPW: Thanks for reminding me. The lovely gossip_bangkok is hosting a #readalong on twitter tonight of my story 'The Resolution. For more information head on over to theficbridge . blogspot . com or simply join us at 8pm EST on Twitter for all the fun.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight; We do however both have intellectually challenged dogs.**

**BPOV **

"What about that one?" I asked, pointing to the fairly small-looking tree in front of us. Edward and I had been searching for a Christmas tree for the past hour, each one being either too big or too small for what we both wanted. This one was – hopefully – perfect. It was five days before Christmas, and we were going to leave the lot with a tree today if it killed me. Either that or Edward was going to get punched for complaining about various trees being too tall, too skinny, or with not enough needles to take decent pictures with.

"Hmm," he mused, rubbing his chin in that sexy, manly, 'I'm pretending to think about what's in front of me, but I'm really just trying to impress my girl' kind of way. "I think that's the one."

_Well, thank god. _

It's about damn time; the tips of my fingers were losing feeling thanks to the frigid cold of Manhattan that afternoon, and I was wearing thick colorful mittens my mother had attempted to knit for me. Renee told me a few weeks ago that she had been trying to learn how to knit in anticipation of a future grandchild, but I didn't really want to tell Edward that and freak him out more than our mothers already had.

"Scuse me! We'd like this one, please!" I shouted out towards the closest… tree handler? I wasn't sure exactly what to call him, but I knew he was wearing a bright orange vest over his coat, indicating that he was one of the people you went to find once you'd picked out a tree.

He smiled at us in a friendly gesture and walked towards us. He waved two other guys over and all three of them wrapped the tree up for us so we could take it back to Edward's apartment. I, quite over dramatically, interrupted when Edward tried to pay for the entire tree himself. Yeah, right.

"I don't think so. It's going in my apartment. I get to pay for the tree," Edward said as he tried to give a handful of bills to one of the guys who had helped us, but I shoved his hand away.

"Yes, but it's half my tree. Unless you want to drag the thing back to your apartment alone, decorate it by yourself and have only your gifts under it, then you can pay for it," I argued with a stern look on my face. I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently, as my fingers reminded me once again how cold it was, before I shoved half of the payment towards him. He glared at me and grudgingly took it, mumbling all the while about not allowing him to take care of me, or something ridiculous. I just rolled my eyes and rubbed my hands together, trying to stay warm.

Once we paid for the tree, we each picked up an end and began walking back towards Edwards' apartment. We maneuvered through the maze of people walking along the sidewalk, with me almost falling on my ass on the ice about a million times. However, I had no idea that getting to Edward's apartment building would actually be the easy part of getting a real tree.

"Okay, I'll go up backwards," I said as I moved to turn us around so I could start going up the stairs. I was smaller, so it made sense that I go up first, right?

"Um, I don't think so, Bella. You barely managed to get it here safely walking forwards. I think I'll go up backwards."

"Suit yourself."

We didn't make it up the first five steps before disaster struck. My boot slipped as I took my third step up the front stoop and I grabbed onto the tree to try and steady my balance. Unfortunately, for the tree, I grabbed onto the string that was holding it together, which wouldn't have been so horrible, if I hadn't fallen.

I lost my balance again after I managed to get myself upright, but at the same time the tree flew open like a giant seven-foot umbrella. I went straight backwards down the stairs, letting out a shrill squeak on my way down and landing with a loud thump against the hard and cold concrete below.

"Oof," I managed to groan once my ass hit the ground and my backside began to ache. My jaw dropped as I looked at the tree which was now wide open and taking over the entire front stairway.

"Oh my god, Bella. Are you okay, sweetheart?" Edward asked with panic evident in his voice. I knew I would have opened my clamped eyelids to see his kneeling body next to me, if it hadn't been for the giant tree in between us. He couldn't exactly get around it to get to me, and I could tell that fact stressed him out.

"Yeah, I'm good. I'm not sure how our tree is going to look by the time we get it up the stairs, though…"

Ten minutes later, Edward and I were finally carrying our practically needle-less tree through his apartment. Well, it still had some of the needles, the rest were either covering the front steps of the building or making a lovely green carpet in the elevator. We should have planned this a little better, I thought to myself as I looked at our sad little tree perched in the living room.

"Oh my god, it's awful," I said remorsefully as I stood next to Edward, staring at the pathetic looking pine tree in front of us. "I couldn't even get a fucking tree up the stairs right. What the hell is wrong with me?" I asked sarcastically. I put my hand over my eyes and bowed my head, shaking it in complete disbelief.

"Bella, it's not awful," Edward said as I felt his arms slide around my waist from behind me. I lifted my head and rested it on his shoulder, scowling at the Christmas tree. If you could even call it that. "It has character. I like it."

"How could you like that?" I asked, flinging my hand towards the tree. "It's balding, and not only that, but I bent the top of it, so now it's leaning over and it just looks stupid. Anything we put on the top will just fall off."

"Bella, I don't care what the tree looks like, as long as you don't make me decorate it by myself, or refuse to put my presents under it. We have our first tree, and I have you, and that's all I need."

"Don't tempt me. I'm worried if we decorate it, the rest of the needles will fall off and we'll be stuck with an oversized twig in your living room," I said mockingly. "I feel like Charlie Brown."

I felt his lips press gently against my neck and immediately I relaxed into his embrace. "I happen to love Charlie Brown," he whispered in my ear, taking my lobe between his lips and tugging softly as I groaned happily. I smiled gently and turned to kiss him on the lips. "And I love you."

"Mmm. Love you, too."

"Why don't we call everyone over and they can help us decorate? Trim our crazy tree with our equally crazy friends," he suggested.

"Oh, fine. Might as well make it a full-fledged Charlie Brown tree," I laughed as I pulled out my cell phone and sent text messages to both Rosalie and Alice, telling them to come over to decorate the tree, and to bring Jasper and Emmett. After all, what would a crazy tree trimming be without Emmett?

"So, all you really have to do is push the top down, and then whatever you put in there is already chopped?" Emmett boomed as he, Rose, Alice and Jasper walked into the apartment a half hour later. Edward and I had just started unpacking his decorations. Over the past few weeks, we had even bought a few new ornaments, as symbols of our first Christmas together. Edward was literally giddy when I found one of an old school twin reflex camera at a thrift shop and he bought it immediately.

"Yes, you big beef head. That's why it's called a Slap Chop," Rosalie shouted, punctuating it by slamming the front door. "Hey, Edward. Your neighbor, Mrs. Petrone handed all of us new Slap Chops while we were outside. She's kind of sweet, in this weird, I bet she has five dozen cats, kind of way."

"Yeah, she gave Bella and I ours this morning when we ran out for coffee. She watches a lot of late night infomercials," Edward laughed. However, my mind ran into overdrive as I wondered just how many Slap Chops could one woman buy?

"We were all trying to explain to Emmett how it works, because apparently it's a big mystery," Alice said sarcastically, rolling her eyes for emphasis.

"What the hell is that?" Emmett asked, pointing to our pathetic tree. I moved her body closer to Edwards because I could tell that the jokes about our slightly awkward and somewhat needless tree would never end. I could already picture the next twenty-five years of Christmases together, and everyone would joke about me wrecking our first Christmas tree. Edward would think of it as an endearing story and I would groan and bitch about how I could never live it down.

"It's the tree. What the fuck does it look like to you?" I snapped at Emmett as I felt Edward's hand squeeze mine reassuringly.

"I may have scraped off some of the needles while Bella and I were carrying it up the stairs earlier," Edward said as I turned my head to look at him in wonderment. _Why are you lying?_ I asked him with my eyes as his returning smile told me that he knew what I had been thinking. I knew I loved him for a reason. "What? It's true. I just left the part about you out of it," he said quietly before kissing the tip of my nose.

"I like it. I think it has character," I said, repeating Edward's words from earlier. He kissed me gently on the lips, sliding his arm around my waist as I melted into him.

"Are you sure this thing is structurally sound?" Jasper asked as he approached the tree and flicked it with his fingers. Everyone burst out laughing at the ridiculous scene in front of us, but I was beginning to love our apparently unstable tree. It was so… _us._ A little quirky and out of whack, and it took a little bit of hard work and mayhem to get there, but once it was decorated and put in its place, it fit perfectly.

We all trimmed our Charlie Brown tree while dancing around to Christmas music, completely immersed in our own little world where there was nothing but the pizza Edward had ordered to feed the troops, spiked eggnog, shiny ornaments, and the delicious smell of pine. I watched Edward as he moved along the tree, and I couldn't help but envision the next twenty-five Christmases again, but this time in a completely different way. He was in every single one of them, and I didn't want to change a single detail about that. He was the rest of my life.

"So, what happens to the old trees?" Emmett asked absent-mindedly as we all stood in front of the tree, admiring the job we'd done. Edward was taking pictures of it, and nothing turned me on more than that man when he is in the zone with his camera.

"They go to the chipper," Jasper answered as he poured more rum into his cup of eggnog. This was quickly turning into one of our drunk fests. Normally, I wouldn't have complained, but I was unbelievably close to snapping and kicking everyone out so Edward and I could be alone. That wouldn't have been rude, right?

"Why do I get the feeling that's not as happy as it sounds?" Emmett asked again, getting that goofy, confused look on his face. I stifled a bout of laughter as I felt my eggnog nearly come out of my nose.

"Emmett, why are you such a buffoon?" Rose asked, slapping him upside the head.

"Aww, Rosie, you know you love me anyway," he said, kissing her in what started as a sweet and gentle manner, but soon turned into the two of them pawing at each other.

"Geez, you think they'd just leave already," Alice commented, grimacing at the sight of the two of them going at it. "If I keep watching, I think I may learn in graphic detail how stupid babies are made."

"Yeah, but then they wouldn't be themselves if they stopped," I said, finishing off my eggnog and curling into Edward's side on the couch. He put his arm around me and began rubbing his hand up and down my arm soothingly, which was going to make me fall asleep if he kept at it. "Okay," I shouted with a sudden burst of energy, springing up from underneath Edward and clapping my hands loudly to get Beef and Beefette's attention. They turned their heads toward us, with their eyes wide and their lips swollen. "Everyone who would rather be fucking right now has to leave."

Alice let out a typical loud, obnoxious giggle and grabbed Jasper's hand as all four of them simultaneously shrugged and walked out of the apartment shouting their goodbyes.

"Gah. Thank god," I said, collapsing back onto the couch and resting my head in Edward's lap and wrapping my arms around his waist. "I've wanted to take advantage of you all day, Mr. Cullen," I said as I let my lips wander around his torso over his shirt, peppering innocent kisses there while I nuzzled my head into him.

"Is that so?" he asked with my favorite bedroom voice and a sexy glint in his eyes. I nodded against him, feeling him harden beneath me as his hands moved to my hips. "I think I can arrange that."

"You'll have to catch me first!" I said as I scurried off the couch and ran for the stairs. About halfway up, I felt his hands on my hips, and they didn't leave my body until we were completely tangled up in the sheets and each other, satisfied and spent.

**EPOV**

I was nervous. I hoped Bella hadn't noticed anything, but to my benefit, she had been pretty busy in the days leading up to Christmas. There had been our half-hearted attempt at a tree-trimming party with our Charlie Brown-esque Christmas tree, and then she was always running out of my apartment at odd times to be with Alice. Once she even insisted that she had to go see Mrs. Petrone downstairs and bring her a batch of the Christmas cookies she had baked at my place one afternoon while I was out for a shoot for the magazine.

All of this culminated in my sweaty palms and anxious breathing on Christmas morning as I looked over at Bella, sprawled out in my bed. She was lying on her stomach, her hands raised over her head and I had to stifle at laugh when I noticed that she took up almost the entire bed. I knew we had a rather wonderful night, but she just looked absolutely exhausted.

I propped my head upon my hand and watched her sleep, her back rising and falling slowly with each breath she took and found myself recalling earlier moments in our relationship, back when we were nothing more than chat friends. Hell, 'friends' was probably an understatement. We were mere acquaintances who found a common interest in the Beatles that eventually led us to falling in love with each other. How I ended up with her, I'll never know, but I wouldn't give up one second of our time together.

"Merry Christmas, handsome," Bella said with a yawn as she rolled over to her side. I couldn't help but notice that her bare chest was now fully exposed to me. My cock responded accordingly as I wrapped my arm around Bella's waist and pulled her against me, kissing her neck and collarbone, before sucking one of her sweet pink nipples into my mouth. Bella groaned in appreciation as I rolled her onto her back, burying myself under the blankets.

"Merry Christmas, baby," I added as I kissed down her stomach and Bella pulled the blankets back, her eyes focused intently on mine.

"Is this my gift?" she asked with a grin as I leaned up and kissed her lips tenderly, enjoying the feel of her soft mouth against mine. Bella's legs wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to her, and I found myself insanely happy we had gone to bed naked.

"No, your gift is under the tree. Wrapped impeccably, I might add," I said as I began kissing her cheeks and then moved slowly down the column of her neck before I licked back up her chin and planted another kiss on her supple lips. "I do have something else I want to give you though," I said with a sly grin as I pushed my eager cock inside of her and she tightened her grip on my legs.

"Oh fuck," she cursed out as her back arched slightly against my bed and I continued to kiss every inch of her sweet body as our hips rocked together, my body fitting perfectly around hers. Bella's hands ran the expanse of my back, causing goose bumps to form as I felt the connection that coursed between us. Our bond, our love, was unbreakable and even when things seemed impossible, they never truly were. We were destined to be together.

"You were meant for me," I said honestly as I raised my hands onto the headboard behind her and continued thrusting deep inside of her, her purrs and moans urging me on.

"Thanks for the Jewel reference," Bella forced out sarcastically as I growled at her and then leaned my head down, pulling her bottom lip between my teeth. All Bella managed at that point was a loud moan as my tongue literally dove inside her mouth and began to taste her. I pressed harder inside her, feeling Bella clench around me and knowing that she was just as desperate for release as I was. Apparently, this fucking was taking away my nervousness, because moments later as we happily came together and curled up around each other, I was no longer anxious about what was going to happen today, or in the future.

"That was a welcome surprise," Bella said with a grin as I rolled off of her and looked up at the ceiling, a smirk forming on my own face.

"Yeah, but next time I try and be all sweet with you, please don't reference some formerly hobo singer, alright?" I said with a laugh as Bella curled into my side, kissing my chest sweetly.

"It was too perfect of an opportunity to miss, sweet cheeks. Now, onto the big stuff. When do we open presents?"

"When do you want to open presents?"

"The moment after you came in me?" Bella questioned as I burst out laughing and she sat up in bed, her entire body bouncing happily as my eyes focused in on her breasts. She noticed what I was doing and grabbed the sheet from the bed, covering herself up before looking at me intently. "So… let's get to it. I wanna see what you got me."

Bella jumped from the bed and pulled on one of my t-shirts and a pair of boxer shorts from my dresser before running down the stairs. "I'm putting the coffee on. Get your sweet ass down here, Cullen," she screamed out as she took the last few stairs. I sat up in bed and stretched my hands over my head, letting out a small groan. If this morning goes as interestingly as the recent call to my mother went, it will certainly be an exciting morning.

"_Edward, what's wrong?" my mother asked curiously when I called her a little over two weeks ago in a panic. I was busy trying to prepare for my showing and had almost completely lost track of the fact that it was almost Christmas. Sure, the frantic shoppers on the street and the miscellaneous Christmas décor was a dead giveaway, but my mind had been elsewhere and I wasn't focusing. Plus, I had never really had to buy a girlfriend, let alone one I was so serious about, a Christmas gift._

"_Nothing is wrong, so put down the brandy," I said with a good natured laugh as my mother groaned._

"_If nothing is wrong, then what is going on? Do you need money? Advice? Is Bella pregnant? You didn't break up did you, because like I told Renee, you'll never find two people more suited to be together than you and Bella. Do you want me to talk to her?"_

"_Slow your roll, Mom."_

"_Slow my what now?"_

"_Just calm down, alright?" I said with a hint of remorse. I suddenly wished I had someone else in my life to ask these questions of, but I figured if I asked Rosalie or Alice, they would either taunt me, be disappointed in me or tattle to Bella. I wasn't ready for that possibility. "I'm stumped on what to get Bella for Christmas. We are still together, very happily in fact, and no for the millionth time since you found out I was dating her, she is not pregnant."_

"_Well, thanks for clearing that up. I'm a bit disappointed that the topic of children hasn't really been discussed between you guys yet. You're not getting any younger."_

"_Oh my god, we are twenty five years old. This isn't 1890 and I'm not marrying Bella fresh out of school. Am I expected to ensure I get a dowry if I ever ask for her hand in marriage?" I questioned with a loud snort as my mother groaned. "No seriously, I think I should ask for at least three goats and an acre of land somewhere in Washington, don't you agree?"_

"_Stop being such a sarcastic ass. You get that from your father."_

"_My father is a brilliant man," I said with a laugh, knowing full well my mother had me on speaker phone and he was listening in the background. "Perhaps I should ask him for advice?"_

"_The first year your father and I were together, he got me a blender. Do you really want to relive his mistakes?"_

"_Point taken," I said with a sigh as my mother began listing off potential gift ideas, none of which sounded perfect for my Bella. Hell, even the Slap Chop we were expecting from Mrs. Petrone sounded better when my mother finally offered up the idea of a Snuggie when she was getting exasperated with me._

"_What about Grandma Cullen's necklace?" my father offered as I perked up slightly, remembering the necklace that sat in my father's safe in his office. It was a beautiful antique sapphire and diamond necklace that my mother always cherished and said would get passed down through the family one day, though I doubted she thought it would be this soon._

"_It has a matching piece, Edward," my mother said excitedly. I could actually hear her clapping on the other end of the line, no doubt finding this a wonderful idea. "Grandma's engagement ring."_

"_Yeah Mom, I don't think I am there yet, though I know Bella would love the necklace." My mother began to protest my decision, but sure enough, when my father came to down on business later that week, bringing the necklace with him, the ring was right alongside it. Had I known then the conversation I would have with Jasper at my showing, I would have been a little more enthusiastic about it all. However, when I got home that night, I shoved the two boxes away in an old shoebox in my closet and put the entire ordeal out of my mind._

When I stepped down the stairs into the main living area, I was greeted by two things - the intoxicating smell of coffee and one hell of a huge package sitting beside our shifty ass Christmas tree.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked incredulously as I stared at the package that was wrapped with at least four different kinds of wrapping paper. Yeah, it was that big.

"Your Christmas gift. Apparently Santa thought you had been a very good boy this year," she said cheekily as she strolled towards the living room and put two cups of coffee on the end table, looking at me with a smile. "You going to open it?"

"Last. I'll open it last. How about we do the little gifts first?" Bella nodded her head in agreement and we started by opening our stockings. Bella had clearly gone shopping for my stocking at Rosalie's store because there were various lubes, lotions, massage oils and glow in the dark condoms. What the hell? I had gone on the sweet side and gotten her a few gift cards to some local art stores and tickets to a post impressionist exhibit down at the Met that I knew she wanted to see.

We ran through the few other gifts under the tree, mainly clothes, well lingerie for Bella because I may have stopped into Victoria's Secret a few days earlier and had a sudden surge of inspiration. However, once there were just two gifts left under the tree, we were both a little antsy. I felt bad because my gift was very small compared to her big one.

We both looked at each other and said "You go first," at the exact same time. A fit of laughter followed as Bella stood up and pulled my rather large… thing, from behind the tree. When I finally unwrapped it, I was surprised to see an incredible painting of the two of us wrapped around each other. It was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen, and by far my new favorite work of hers. This was definitely taking the place of the giant photo of her that I was going to hang up on my bedroom wall.

"It's awesome, baby," I gushed happily as I scooped her up into my arms and hugged her tight, kissing her temple. "My gift is nowhere near as nice, if I am being honest with you," I said as we sat back on the floor and I reached for the gift under the tree. The wrapping was perfect; then again, Alice had done it for me after I had gone to Jasper's one day and shown it to her, seeking her approval. Thankfully, she had been just as excited as I had been when I saw it when my dad delivered it.

"I'm sure it will be wonderful, Edward. Now hand it over." I did as she asked and watched with trepidation as she slowly unwrapped the box and lifted the lid. Her mouth may have fallen open slightly, okay a lot, as she gazed down on the necklace. "This is too much, Edward. I can't accept this."

"I didn't even pay anything for it, please keep it," I practically begged as she shoved the box towards me, but I just pushed it back. "It's a family heirloom and my entire family agreed that you deserved it. We… me especially, want you to have it." Bella glanced down at the box again and her fingers moved slowly over the small diamond and sapphire pendant, before she set it gently on the floor and leaned forward, kissing me softly.

"It's so much more than I ever thought you would get me. I love it and will cherish it, and you, forever."

"_You_ are so much more than I ever thought I would have. I love you, Bella. Don't ever doubt that."

"I don't," she said with a huge grin as I picked up the necklace and helped her put it on. When she turned back around, her hand moving reverently over the jewels again, I couldn't help myself, and within moments we were making in love on the floor in front of the tree. Not for the last time that day either.

Six days later, we found ourselves at a party in Jacob's loft, getting ready to ring in the New Year. I hadn't been overly excited about the entire thing, wanting instead to stay at home with Bella and have a quiet night at home. However, we determined that we couldn't exactly turn down an invitation from the man who had helped launch both of our artistic careers. It was just bad business and well, he was known to have thrown some of the best bashes in NYC. Imagine Elton John's parties after the Academy Awards. That's how good were talking, or so Alice explained to us in the cab on the way over.

Thankfully, we had managed to get invites to the event for all of our friends, not that it took much work. Sam, Jake's partner, was actually a regular at Rosalie's shop and was more than excited to have her attend. Also, both guys happened to love Emmett's turn as a mentally handicapped football player in some cheesy ass movie of the week on Lifetime that he filmed over three years ago. They literally gushed the first time they met him and of course Emmett was courteous and informed them that he didn't swing that way. It was awkward. Things involving Emmett usually were.

As I looked across the room, I noticed Bella talking happily to Jake, Sam and Alice. She was wearing a stunning dark blue dress that perfectly matched the necklace I had given her, and insisted she wear for the evening. Since I knew Bella was going commando under her dress in anticipation for some plans we had after midnight that included abandoning the party and dashing home immediately. I couldn't wait.

"Your girl looks good tonight," Emmett said as he sat down beside me and handed me another glass of champagne.

"They all do, actually," I said in agreement as Rosalie joined the group of girls as they continued talking to Jake and Sam. There was a lot of laughter and hand gesturing from Jake, so lord only knows what the hell they were talking about.

"So, I'm going to do it tonight," Jasper said with certainty as he patted his chest, signaling that he had the engagement ring with him. I didn't exactly want to say anything to either of them, but I had been holding onto my grandmother's engagement ring since Christmas night, unsure of when to propose to Bella. I wanted to do it, more than anything I wanted her to be mine forever, but I wanted the right moment. Nothing ever seemed right, but in hindsight, I may have been trying too hard.

"Do what?" Emmett questioned dumbly as I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Considering you live with me and have listened to me rant for weeks about this, you are pretty stupid. Did you ever listen to me when I talked about proposing to Alice?" Jasper questioned as he took a sip of his drink and I let out a sigh of relief because I was glad I didn't live with them anymore.

"Well you've been talking about it for so long, I just figured you had done it already."

"Did you see a ring on her finger?"

"Do I ever look at a woman's hands?"

"I remember when you had an order you followed when it came to looking at women. First you would check out their boobs, then their face and then their hands, because you didn't want to take the married ones," I added with a snicker as Jasper joined in and Emmett merely rolled his eyes.

"Yeah well, I already knew she was taken, man. Anyways, enough of me looking like a fool. When are you going to ask her?"

"Sometime tonight." Emmett and I both groaned at how vague he was being, but then our discussion was cut short when the girls finished their conversation and came over to us.

It was getting close to midnight, so I grabbed Bella for a dance in the middle of the living room and decided to ignore my friends and what they were doing. We moved seamlessly together, my hands clutching hers as she laid her head on my shoulder and whispered to me that she was eager to head home. I suggested we leave, but Bella wanted to stay till midnight, so I reluctantly agreed and continued to lead her on the dance floor.

As we danced, I couldn't help but think of the call I had placed to her dad two days after Christmas, asking for her hand in marriage. I had stumbled over my words, sounding anxious and confused the entire time, but Charlie literally laughed me off. He told me that Renee had forewarned him after she had talked to my mother about sending me the ring and the necklace. He had been expecting my call all along and simply enjoyed listening to me squirm. With his blessing in place, I felt slightly relieved after the call, but then I also realized I would have to man up and propose soon or else Renee would certainly blow any element of surprise.

With two minutes to midnight, Jacob took over from the DJ, with Sam at his side and announced for all the couples to pair up. I watched out of the corner of my eye as Jasper pulled Alice off of the main floor and to the side, clutching her anxiously as she looked completely out of the loop. I was feeling hot and a little stifled, so I reluctantly pulled Bella onto the balcony and draped my coat over her shoulders to keep her warm. We could still hear the countdown inside the penthouse as Jacob's voice was deafeningly loud.

"Why are we out here?" Bella questioned curiously as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of my jacket and then reached into my pocket.

Oh shit.

My face immediately fell as I realized what I had left behind in the pocket. "What is this?" Bella said as she pulled the box out and held it in her hand anxiously.

"Um… It's a box."

"Why do you have a box in your pocket, Edward?" I watched as Bella's hand shook unsteadily as she held the box and I swore she was going to drop it, but then her fingers wrapped tightly around it, holding onto it for dear life. Perhaps this was a good sign?

"Cause it's holding something?" I replied with a shrug of my shoulders, unsure of what the hell to say as I stared at Bella tentatively opened the box and notice the ring that was held inside. Her mouth dropped open in surprise and her eyes began blinking furiously. Was she going to pass out? Oh fuck, please don't let her pass out.

"It's holding a ring," Bella said as she held her free hand against her neck, breathing in slowly as she started to put two and two together. Before she could say anything else, the clock struck midnight and I bent down on one knee, wrapping my hands around hers as they tightly held the ring box.

"Isabella Marie Swan, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

**A/N: Yes, we left it there, we are that evil! Feel free to review and tell us how much you hate us, or love us if this kind of thing rocks your world. LOL**

**On a separate note, we are both offering ourselves up as part of the upcoming Fandom Gives Back Auction. Flightlessbird11 is offering both banners and outtakes from this story which will be co-written with CPW of course. CPW is offering three outtakes from any of her existing stories or three original one shots, depending on what floats your boat. She is also offering up individual chapters of her new story, the expansion of her one shot, Room 15. Make sure you start saving your pennies. Like seriously, check your couches for change and shit.**

**The link to Bella's dress, necklace and the painting she gave Edward are on our profiles :)**

**Oh and CPW has a rec for you – For the Summer by Camoozle is owning her these days, so rush to read it. Seriously. It's wonderfully written and recounts Edward and Bella spending summers together at her father's small town resort in Arizona. **


	33. Till There Was You

**CPW: Did you miss us?**

**FLB11: You should just cut to the chase this week, people wanna read the chapter and find out what happens.**

**CPW: Fine. Read the chapter.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight; but CPW is going with our fabulous beta MaggieMay14 to see Eclipse at midnight on Tuesday. Who else is going?**

**BPOV**

"Isabella Marie Swan, would you do me the honor of being my wife?"

_Oh. My. God. That ring._

I stared down at the box in my hand, which contained the single most beautiful sapphire and diamond ring I had ever seen. It was exquisite, perfect really. It matched the necklace that Edward had given me six days earlier on Christmas morning. It was also the same exact ring I'd dreamt about months before while lying in a hospital bed recovering from my accident.

In my dream, I remembered looking down at my hand and seeing the engagement ring and wedding band on my left hand ring finger. I remembered every single detail about that dream because it had all seemed so real. Even though the proposal seemed very surreal, there was no mistake that this was the ring from my dream.

I looked up and around, away from Edward's confused and worried stare. He was still kneeling on the cold floor of the balcony. I needed to make sure that all of this was real, and in fact, actually happening. The air was frigid, and I squeezed Edward's coat closer to my body as the shiver began to take hold over me. At this point, I wasn't sure if I was shivering because of the cold air or because of the man in front of me and what he was doing in that moment.

I looked back at him and he looked so hurt. I immediately realized that I'd been silent for longer than I'd thought and he was obviously worried about my response, or lack thereof.

"Bella?" he asked, as if to make sure I wasn't in some sort of catatonic state or something.

"Can you repeat that?" I sputtered out. I wanted to do it over now that I was over the shock of the fact that this man was indeed proposing to me. I wanted him to know my answer beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Bella, will you marry me?" I smiled so wide my cheeks hurt, and grabbed Edward's arm, lifting him up off the ground so we were face to face. I captured his face in my hands and looked into his gorgeous green eyes.

"Yes."

Edward's face softened, and I swore I could actually feel the relief flowing off of him. "Really?" he asked, as if he had doubted it.

"Of course, silly. What did you think-" I was cut off by Edward's lips as he enveloped my entire body into a scorching kiss, and despite the freezing temperature, I felt flames. We kissed until neither of us could breathe, and when we broke apart, Edward kissed the tip of my nose like he always did. I almost dropped the velvety box that I was still gripping in my hand.

"You scared the shit out of me for a second," he admitted after a moment, once we'd both steadied our breathing. "Did you really have to think about it? Your answer I mean?"

"I'll tell you later if you do me a favor."

"Anything," he breathed, resting his forehead against mine.

"Put this ring on my finger already." Edward's eyes shot open and he pulled away to see that the box was still in my hand, with the ring still inside it no less.

"Shit," he said as he grabbed the box and slid the ring out of it. He nervously slipped it onto my finger and I felt a sense of déjà vu as I took in the look of it, knowing that it was right where it belonged.

Edward held me for a few more minutes, until I broke the silence with a thought that hadn't occurred to me before. "So, did you plan on doing this tonight?" I asked curiously as we sort-of-danced. It was more like just rocking back and forth. It hadn't occurred to me whether or not Edward had actually intended for me to find the ring in his jacket pocket.

He chuckled, albeit a little darkly. "No, I wasn't planning on doing it tonight. I forgot that the ring was in my pocket when I gave you my jacket." We laughed at that together, because everything with us was an accident. Meeting – both times – and eventually falling in love, neither of us had intended or really desired for either to happen, but we'd never take it back or change anything about our relationship. "I didn't want to steal Jasper's thunder, actually."

"What?" I practically squeaked. "Jasper is proposing to Alice tonight?" Edward simply nodded before I smacked him on the arm.

"Hey! Is that any way to treat your fiancé?" He asked, rubbing his arm.

"Why didn't you tell me he was planning on proposing?"

"I don't know. It's a guy thing, I guess," he said with a shrug. I considered that answer and thought that telling me might have ruined the surprise of Alice telling me about the engagement. If I knew Jasper was going to propose, I probably wouldn't have kept my mouth shut.

"Stealing his thunder, maybe?" I asked as I brought my hand to the back of his neck, stroking his hairline and watching as his eyes closed and his lips curved into a smile.

"Exactly."

"So… should we go see if he's popped the question yet? If he has, we can hold off telling everyone until tomorrow if you want," I suggested, trying to ease Edward's worries about the fact that he had just proposed at potentially the same time as Jasper.

"I think that's a good idea," he said as he grabbed my hand and opened the door that led back into the penthouse. The warm air was a relief from the cold feel of outside, but the sight in front of us stole all other feelings besides that of complete shock… and maybe a little of amusement.

"Rosie, will you marry me?" Emmett asked, quite loudly in front of a huge audience, I might add, as he knelt down on the floor. The entire party seemed to have formed a circle around them as Rosalie stared down at Emmett incredulously.

"On one condition," she said after thinking a moment, just to taunt him I guessed. Emmett nodded at her, smiling like the stupid fool he was. "Tomorrow, you're taking me out for a nice dinner, you're going to surprise me, and ask me properly."

"Deal," he said as he stood up and kissed her passionately as everyone in the crowd clapped and cheered for the odd couple and their clearly spur of the moment engagement.

"What the hell," Edward and I said at the exact same time.

"Did that just happen?" I asked, giggling at the thought of all six of us getting engaged on the same night. "Did you know about that one?"

"Nope, I had no friggin idea…" Edward trailed off.

Emmett and Rose met our shocked expressions and waved us over. "Rosie and I are engaged," Emmett shouted overzealously. I couldn't help but wonder if he had truly missed the two of us watching that whole ridiculous scene or if he was just being… well, Emmett. It was probably both.

"No shit," Edward said with a small laugh. "Congratulations, guys," he said as he gave Emmett a tight hug and patted him on the back. "You know that Jasper will throttle you when he finds out."

"What can I say? I was inspired by you and Jazz talking marriage. I couldn't resist," Emmett said as he kissed Rosalie's temple sweetly. I had to admit, they were perfect for each other. She definitely balanced him out – as much as humanly possible, that is.

"Wait, what? You _and_ Jasper were talking marriage? Does that mean…" Rosalie said as she put two and two together, looking at my finger. "Ahhhhh!" she exclaimed at an unreasonably high volume.

"Jesus, Rosalie. If it's not you, it's Alice," I said as I covered my ears.

"Well, I don't think we'll be able to congratulate Alice and Jazz tonight. I saw them leaving just as Emmett was about to pop the question. I guess they were in a hurry to celebrate," Rose explained.

"Well that's a relief. I wasn't looking forward to seeing his face, since he was the only one of you guys who actually _planned _on proposing tonight," I said with a grin.

"Speaking of celebrating, Bella and I have some of that to do ourselves. So don't follow us home. Don't call and definitely don't come to see us before next Friday. See you guys later," Edward said hurriedly as he practically ushered me away from our friends. Before I knew it, we were out the door and Edward was hailing us a cab.

"Well that was quick," I said with a laugh once we were both seated inside a warm taxi.

"I can't wait until we get home, so I can make love to my fiancée. All. Night. Long," Edward whispered, his breath tickling the shell of my ear, sending chills down my spine. I felt the intake of breath in between my lips, and I may or may not have checked to see if my panties had spontaneously dropped to my ankles. That was before I realized that I wasn't actually wearing any.

Twenty minutes later, Edward and I were fused together at the lips. We were rubbing, grabbing, sucking and stumbling our way into his apartment and I found myself excited that my dress was strapless, because it allowed Edward's mouth easy access to my chest.

"God, I love the way you taste," he mumbled as he sucked the skin just above my breasts. He slipped his hand underneath my dress, kneading my ass and making me moan uncontrollably.

"Off… take it off," I said breathlessly as I pulled at his hair. He slipped the dress over my head and took in my naked form. I smiled devilishly at him and began unbuttoning his shirt.

I threw myself at him, sucking and biting on his neck once his shirt was off completely. I began rubbing his cock through his dress pants as I felt his breath falter against my neck. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. Edward slid two fingers inside of me, pumping in and out slowly and torturously. Once we made it to the stairway, I couldn't wait anymore. I untangled myself from around him and watched smugly as Edward's expression turned to confusion. I sat down on the stairs and began unbuckling his belt and tugging his pants down to his ankles until he stepped out of them.

"Bella… the bed," he started, but once I started pumping my hand up and down his length, his words were lost in loud moans of pleasure.

"Don't care," I said as he knelt down, hovering above me.

"I wanted to make love to my fiancée in a bed, not fuck her on the stairs."

"Edward, I really don't care. It's always making love to me," I said as I grabbed his cock and slid it inside of me and we both moaned at the sensation. He began moving in and out of me slowly, and my hips rose involuntarily to meet his. We set our own pace, just like we always did, but this time Edward grabbed my left hand, which was happily tangled in his hair, and kissed the ring on my finger, making me crazy.

"God, I love you," he muttered against the palm of my hand.

"Always," I said as Edward slid out of me and looked at me through dark, hooded eyes. I knew exactly what he wanted, so I turned around and braced my hands and knees on the stairs. He pushed himself back inside me from behind, and both of us groaned at the new sensations this position brought us.

Edward began moving faster, his left foot on a higher step than his right, which pushed him deeper inside me. In turn, I started shoving my hips back into his harder, begging him for more with my body. He leaned down so his chest was pressed against my back, but not so hard that he was crushing me.

"Can I go harder?" he whispered in my ear. I almost came from the words alone. I could barely contain my shiver, but I merely nodded, smiling to myself. He began thrusting in and out faster and harder until he hit the spot that was sure to make me come in seconds.

"Oh, fuck yes. Right there, baby," I muttered before I felt myself coming around him. I screamed his name as I buried my face in the crook of my arm, feeling him twitch as he came inside me.

Edward pulled out and we both plopped down onto the stairs, attempting to catch our breath. "Wow," he said after a few silent moments.

"Agreed."

The next morning, I woke up – in Edward's bed – to my cell phone ringing. It was Alice, probably calling to tell me that she and Jasper got engaged.

"I hate you," I answered.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I just called to see how the rest of your night went. Sorry Jasper and I had to cut out early."

"Uh… our night was fine. Well, more than fine, actually," I corrected vaguely as I peeked at Edward who was beginning to stir. "Did you and Jasper have fun celebrating?" I said with a giggle.

"Celebrating? No," she said cryptically, clearly confused by my comment.

"No? But didn't you and Jasper…" I trailed off but Alice was silent, which signaled to me that Jasper hadn't managed to propose for some reason. My heart immediately sunk for her, because of all the people that should have gotten engaged last night, she had missed her chance, and now we'd all be gloating in front of her and poor Jasper.

"He had to take me home. I must have eaten something bad at the party," she explained with a hint of sadness to her voice.

"Oh, Ali, I'm sorry."

"Wait… what did you mean before? What would Jazz and I be celebrating?" she asked. Shit, she must have caught on. I noticed Edward's eyes were starting to open and I didn't want him to know that I might ruin Jasper's surprise.

"Um… the New Year?" I replied, trying desperately to cover my slip up.

"We already did that in one of Jake's bedrooms. Didn't you see us coming back downstairs all post-coital? Jasper was even buttoning up his tuxedo shirt as we came back to the party. Seriously Bella, it was obvious to everyone that we had been getting frisky."

"Maybe…" I was really digging myself a hole the more Alice questioned me. Edward was now completely awake, and he was giving me the sex eyes, which was not helping the situation.

"Well, then what did you think we would be celebrating?" she asked, clearly she knew she was cornering me.

"Gee, I don't know, Ali. I gottagobye!" I said quickly as I hung up my phone and tossed it away from me like it had the plague, watching as it flew onto the floor.

"What was that all about?" Edward asked as I looked around cautiously and shrugged my shoulders.

"Jasper didn't propose last night. Apparently Al got sick and that's why they left so early."

"Sucks for him," Edward said as he rolled on top of me. "However, we have celebrating of our own to do." We spent the rest of the day reveling in our engagement, until early in the evening when we got a call from Alice. I didn't really want to answer the phone since I expected her to question my verbal vomit from earlier in the day, but Edward forced me into it against my will.

"Jasper proposed!" she squealed into the phone. "And dude, Emmett proposed to Rosalie last night. Isn't that weird?" she said excitedly. Oh, this was going to be good, and possible very painful for my eardrums.

"Oh, I know. You know who else proposed last night?" I replied, trying to sound casual.

"Oh my god, no! Sam proposed to Jacob, didn't he? Shit, if that did happen, I bet they would have one fabulously gay wedding. I can't compete with them Bella."

"No, Alice, it wasn't Sam. Edward did. He gave me his jacket," I explained… although probably not in the best way.

"Ohmigod, are you serious? Wait, he gave you his jacket?" she asked. It was surprisingly less loud than I had expected, but hey, I wasn't complaining. "How the hell does that work? Is it like when the Greeks walk around the table or something?"

I rolled my eyes as if she could see me. "It was a complete accident, Al. He had been carrying the ring around in his jacket, trying to decide when to pop the question. He gave me his jacket last night to keep me warm when we were out on the balcony and I happened to find the ring, so he really had no choice in the matter," I said with a laugh.

The next thing I knew, we were talking about living arrangements and Alice suggested that we simply switch up all three apartments. I had to hang up the phone at first to make sure moving in together was something that Edward wanted, but he confessed that he was going to ask me to move in with him now that we were engaged anyway. Rose, Alice and I ended up in a three-way call, discussing the moving situation.

Rose insisted on having Edward's apartment, for god knows what reason, and Alice and Jasper called dibs on Jasper and Emmett's apartment because it was so close to their stores, leaving the brownstone for Edward and me. Well, shit. That was lucky. Thankfully, for rent control, Edward and I could afford to live in the brownstone by ourselves and it was much better for our jobs anyways. I could keep my art studio the way it was and we could convert one of the rooms into a darkroom for Edwards' photography.

I hung up the phone and Edward and I just sort of stared at each other, and I knew that we were both wondering how the hell that had just happened.

"So, whadda you wanna do now, roomie?"

**EPOV**

"Come on, babe, wake up." I could hear the voice of Bella trying to stir me from my wonderful dream where we were living happily in the brownstone with no friends around, but I wasn't ready to get out of bed.

"Just a few more minutes," I replied sleepily as I grasped at my pillow and rolled over, clutching it tightly. The past few weeks of packing, cleaning and throwing out random shit I didn't even know I had was taking its toll on me. I knew it was all going to be worth it when it was over, but between packing boxes, taking apart my beloved darkroom and dealing with the demands of work, I just wanted a few more minutes of sleep.

I suddenly felt the bed behind me sink down as Bella climbed in behind me and wrapped her arms around my torso, holding me tight. Her cheek rested on my shoulder and her lips pressed against the side of my neck, making me groan happily. "If you don't get your ass of out of bed, Cullen, I can promise you no sex for the rest of the month."

Bella was clearly playing dirty and it was far too early into February to play her game. Although, February is the shortest month of the year, I thought to myself as I pulled the blankets tighter against me. "Bella, this isn't fair."

"Stop bitching, Edward. Alice and Rosalie, aka the moving Nazis, have had me up since the ass crack of dawn. Apparently, Rosalie can't wait to move in here with Emmett and christen every single surface of the apartment. I didn't have the heart to tell her we already did that several times over in the past month," added Bella as she kissed me again on the neck and then rolled back from me to get off the bed. "Now, if you would like to do the same in your new place, I suggest you get out of bed."

"Do you promise?"

"Do I promise what? To let you have sex with me?"

"No, about the every single surface thing? If I get out of this warm cozy bed, you promise to let me fuck you on every single surface in that brownstone?"

"Yes, Edward. Now get the heck out of bed. The movers are due here any minute to get your shit loaded into their truck. Whoever thought moving in February was a good idea clearly lived in California or some shit. It's cold as fuck outside."

"Why do you think I don't want to get out of bed? Now, strip out of those clothes and climb in with me. I promise to make it worth your while," I said as I waggled my eyebrows at her and Bella simply rolled her eyes. Of course, there was a loud knock at my door at that exact moment, which ruined any thought of having one final roll in the hay with my girl in my bachelor pad. In a few short hours I was not only going to be engaged to Bella, I was going to be living with her. It was a big change, but I was ready to tackle it, though preferably on a warmer day than today.

I had to admit, I was tackling the move better than I handled telling our mothers about the engagement. Bella and I had initially decided to simply keep the news to ourselves for a little bit, but when my mother called two days after New Years and revealed that Renee and Phil had gone out to Chicago for the holiday with my parents, and were still there, we felt like we were backed into a corner.

"_Edward, you sound anxious," my mother asked after our initial pleasantries. I wasn't impressed by how well she knew me at that moment. Why couldn't she have been uninvolved and said something like 'So… how's the weather?'_

"_Bella's in the room, Mom."_

"_So? Put me on speaker phone and I'll do the same. Maybe Bella wants to talk to her mother," Esme said with a sigh as I looked at Bella and she motioned with her hands towards the phone, signaling to me that I should do as I was asked._

"_Okay, we're here." _

"_Evening, Esme. Hi Mom," Bella said softly into the phone as I got up from the couch and went to the fridge to get us two cold beers. Bella motioned with her hand higher, pointing to my bottle of tequila on the top. Bella smiled brightly as I grabbed it and two shot glasses from the counter before heading back into the living room where Bella sat. "Did you ladies have a good New Years Eve?"_

"_Oh yes, it was very enlightening," laughed my mother as Renee chimed in after her._

"_Did you know Esme has never had Sex on the Beach?" Renee giggled as Bella and I both rolled our eyes and I sat down beside her, eagerly pouring the shots._

"_To my benefit, I didn't know she meant the drink. I have had actual sex on a beach and I don't recommend it. Sand gets in…"_

"_Enough, Mom, I really don't need to hear the end of that sentence," I interrupted nervously, praying she never finished that sentence. EVER._

_I looked back at Bella and she whispered to me "Tell them." I quirked my eyebrows, wondering if she was serious. Then she lifted her shot glass and swallowed it down, giving herself a little boost of courage. I did the same and sucked in a deep breath, deciding better late than never. "So, Bella and I have some news for you."_

"_Are you guys moving in together?" Renee asked as Bella and I both looked shocked there was no talk of a baby. "After all, the baby will need its parents living together, right?"_

"_There is no damn baby, mother," Bella piped up. _

"_Yes, we are moving in together. I'm moving into the brownstone that Bella currently lives in. That's not what I wanted to say though. I asked Bella to marry me and she said yes." I let out a sigh of relief as Bella held her hand over the phone so muffle the squealing on the other end of the phone. Minutes went past before Bella was able to remove her hand and the mothers seemed to calm down somewhat._

"_So, when is the baby due?" my mother questioned me as Bella poured herself another shot of tequila, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand when she was done. That was my classy lassy. How did I ever get so lucky to have found her? I was expecting a belch or something equally disturbing to follow._

"_There is no baby, Mom. I'm in love with Bella and she loves me. We're getting married and maybe eventually there will be a baby, but not before we get married," I stated as there was a gasp on the other end of the phone. Apparently, they didn't approve of something I said. _

"_Maybe?"_

"_Eventually?" The women spoke at the same time, keen to point out my misstep. _

"_Oh fine, one day there will be a baby, but that day is not today or anytime in the next nine months, alright?" Bella breathed out a sigh of relief beside me and climbed off the couch to come straddle me on the club chair I was sitting in. _

"_But it's going to happen, right?" Renee asked pointedly as I rolled my eyes and Bella rolled her hips against mine, awakening my cock._

"_Yes, Mom. Edward and I will hopefully have a baby… one day. To be honest, I can't keep my hands off of him, so we'll have fun practicing and all that jazz," Bella said with a giggle as I looked at her with wide eyes. "In fact, why don't you ladies go and pick out our china pattern, if you haven't already done so, and I'm going to go sex up my fiancé."_

_Bella hung up my phone and flung it onto the couch beside us before she wrapped her arms around my neck and began kissing me passionately as her hips undulated above mine, making me throb. "That went better than I thought it would, don't you think?"_

I reluctantly got out of bed and dressed quickly as I listened to Bella give instructions to the movers on the main floor. Bella and I had bickered back and forth about hiring someone to move me, but when we realized that everything I owned was coming with us and that we had my darkroom supplies to contend with, we decided that it was for the best that it was someone else's responsibility. Alice had virtually no furniture in the brownstone, so she and Jasper really just had to deal with the clothes and accessories she had. The girls had decided to leave most of the kitchen stuff behind in each apartment, but I had grabbed a few small appliances that I couldn't leave behind for Emmett and Rosalie, mainly because I couldn't see them ever using them. They were welcome to my half-assed collection of plates and cutlery though.

The movers were surprisingly efficient and it took them just under an hour to get all my boxes, furniture and darkroom equipment into their truck. As Bella and I walked out into the lobby for the last time, with me as a tenant of the building, Mrs. Petrone stopped us.

"I always knew you two kids were perfect for each other," she said sweetly as Bella gave her a tender hug and I did the same. "Do you know who is moving in?"

"Yeah, actually, I'm subletting it to my friend Emmett and his fiancée Rosalie."

"Emmett… big burly guy, right?" Mrs. Petrone asked as I nodded my head. "I think I saw him in a porno on TV late one night delivering a pizza. He's an actor, right?" Bella and I burst out laughing as Bella confirmed her suspicions about Emmett's career choice. "I guess it's a good thing he ended up with the girl who manages 'The Forbidden Fruit.'"

Bella and I both choked on our breath for a moment as Mrs. Petrone bid us a quick farewell and made us promise not to be strangers. "I'm glad I learned all this kinky shit about that old broad now that we are moving out," I said simply as Bella agreed with me wholeheartedly. We crossed the street and grabbed some coffee from Common Grounds before heading over to Bella's… our new brownstone.

When I walked in the door, the entire place already had a different feel to it. All of Rosalie's stuff was boxed and sitting in the living room, with the furniture she was taking beside them. The movers brought in all my boxes, Bella directing them to the specific rooms as Alice finished loading her stuff into a cab outside to head to Jasper's place. When all of my stuff was unloaded, Rosalie's things were put into the truck and hauled back over to my old apartment. Seeing everything leave and the only things that remained belonged to Bella and me, it felt very surreal.

"Where do you want to start?" Bella asked with a grin as we looked at the boxes in the living room and I simply shrugged my shoulders. "How about we start with your darkroom? I figured the small mudroom in the back would be perfect, right? We'll close off the windows and there is decent ventilation. Is that good?"

I looked at Bella with a grin wide on my face as she stood in our living room, looking at me impatiently. "Edward, this stuff won't put itself away."

"Yeah, but we don't have to do it right now. Alice won't come in here and yell at you for having boxes in the kitchen. Rosalie won't get angry because there are boxes of photo supplies on the couch where she wants to fuck Emmett. Don't you see it, Bella? We have no one to deal with but you and I. Do you really want to unpack right now?" I questioned as Bella tilted her head to the side, clearly considering my theory.

"How about we unpack one box so that we feel like we did something?" Bella suggested as I quickly agreed to her request and I followed her upstairs to our new bedroom. She had taken over the master bedroom that used to be Rosalie's the week before and had been busy trying to make it perfect for us. The walls had been repainted a slate blue grey color and they matched the sheets and all my dark wood furniture filled the room. It was cool, tranquil and the perfect place to relax after a very long day. I was more than pleased with what Bella had managed in such a short time.

"Let's go with this one?" I said as I pointed to a medium sized box just outside the closet. I walked forward and grabbed it, putting it on our bed and ripped it open excitedly. However, I wasn't prepared for what I found within.

"What the fuck? What are you doing with all of these?" I asked in shock as I began holding up what can only be described as a plethora of vibrators, dildos, plugs, cuffs and well… let's just say it was more sex toys than I had ever seen in my life. I thanked god that everything was still in its original packaging. "Is there something we need to discuss?"

"Those aren't mine."

"Like hell they aren't yours. They certainly aren't mine. What the fuck would I do with them?" Bella looked around inside the box and then closed the lid, a huge smile crossing her face.

"It's Rosalie's."

"She left us a box of sex toys? Is this like the new Welcome Wagon or something? Welcome to my former home, here have a butt plug? What the fuck?"

"Ewwww… my mother used to be part of the Welcome Wagon back in Forks. Thanks for that image," Bella said with a groan as I began laughing out loud. That certainly explained so much about Renee didn't it? "There's a card," Bella finished as she grabbed it from the bottom of the box and tore it open before reading it out loud.

_Edward and Bella, _

_We think it's about time you broke in the house in addition to each other. Have fun and play safe._

_Rosalie & Emmett_

Bella tossed the note aside and we both looked at each other with a wide grin. Suddenly, I was peeling Bella's clothes off as quickly as I could while she struggled to open one of the packages that housed a very well endowed vibrator. Within minutes we were on our bed kissing, touching and exploring every inch of each other and the toy.

Well, we did get one box open right? Well… one box and a whole bunch of little packages.

**A/N: Onto other news, MIFFY is up for auction this week in the Fandom Gives Back Auctions. Did you want to see what really happened with that box of toys? Perhaps you want to know what Esme & Renee did with their men on New Year's Eve or would like more of the early chats between Bella & Edward… you can find us under flightlessbird11's auction at thefandomgivesback (dot) com. **


	34. Here Comes the Sun

**CPW: Are they throwing tomatoes?**

**FLB11: No, why would they be?**

**CPW: Cause we took like 3 weeks to update.**

**FLB11: Yeah, but at least we didn't put it on hiatus during our RL fuckery right? LOL Anyways, we've been busy plotting out the outtake that was purchased in the FGB auction.**

**CPW: Oh yeah, huge thanks to carolalala & swino16 who bought us in the auction. They have asked for some pretty funny shit that will be fun to write. At least for me it will be.**** Just saying.**

**FLB11: Yeah, I may still be griping about it. Anywhoo, we don't own Twilight; we just like making them do random shit.**

**BPOV**

"Alice, you're pregnant; you're not an elephant. Try the dress on and get your skinny little ass out here!"

How the hell Alice, Rosalie and I found ourselves standing in Kleinfelds merely two months after we had all moved in with our fiancés, I don't think I will ever know. About a minute after the big move, Alice and Jasper informed us all that they were expecting, and that they were going to have a small wedding at city hall before the baby was born. What Alice failed to mention was that she would try to get the whole shindig together in three weeks. That idea was quickly shot down when Alice found out that she could never have a dress fitted in that amount of time. Alice and Jasper's plans were changed only slightly as they decided to wait until the early spring, giving Alice more time to get her dream dress, yet they would still do a simple city hall wedding.

We were all shocked that Alice didn't want a big, lavish wedding where every detail would be planned to perfection. However, I think the same amount of planning that would have gone into an entire wedding, had gone into the simple decision of choosing a dress. She had finally found one a few weeks ago, and put a rush on the order since she would be growing. Now, at four months along, Rose and I were waiting for her to come out of the fitting room, all the while searching for dresses for ourselves. Well, it was more like browsing since Edward and I hadn't even set a date yet.

"Okay, okay. Here. It looks awful, doesn't it?" she griped as she came out of the dressing room in a gorgeous tea-length dress. It draped over her barely there baby bump perfectly and the empire waistline was accented by a small rose.

"Oh my god, Alice! It's amazing, perfect, really. You have to get it!" I said, admittedly a little more excited than I thought I would have been.

"Alice, you look gorgeous, but I swear, if you look better than me at your wedding than I do at mine, we will have a serious problem," Rose gushed as she contradicted her words by rushing over to Alice and enveloping her in a hug.

I laughed as my two friends held each other and then opened their arms, enveloping me into the madness that was their emotions. Of course, Alice was infinitely more emotional than Rose or I, due to the pregnancy. Pretty much everything made her cry, which was somewhat uncomfortable, especially when she was crying over the fact that she couldn't decide what kind of muffin to get in the morning.

We waited for Alice to get fitted one last time and babbled about the details of the dress, which I wasn't particularly interested in. I began browsing the store, trying not to find anything that would be outrageously expensive, even though Esme insisted on buying one for me and Edward refused to tell me how well off his parents truly were. I never would have imagined a designer gown for myself, but Esme had told me not to put a limit on what I wanted, so I decided that looking wouldn't hurt. I doubted that I would find anything because I really had no clue what I wanted, and I wasn't exactly in a big rush to find a dress anyway.

However, there was a Jim Hjelm trunk show going on while we were there, and as I shifted through the gowns, I spotted it. My perfect dress.

It was a small ivory, A-line gown with flowing satin, tiered layers and an intricately placed flower with crystal beading tied at the natural waistline. I wanted to hug it and never let it go. I plucked the dress from its spot and carried it over to where Rose and Alice were talking to the consultant. "Where can I try this one on?" I blurted out, as they were in the middle of taking Alice's measurements… again.

"Oh, BELL-A! That gown is incredible!" Alice shouted as she hopped off the podium without the seamstress' permission and picked up my dress. She muttered something about silk and I think she said 'organza,' but I could have sworn that organza was a flower or something. What did I know about fabrics? I worked in colors and paint for heaven's sake.

The consultant and Alice ushered me into the fitting room and slipped me into the dress. How it had looked on the hanger held no comparison to how it looked once I tried it on. It fit every part of me like a glove, and it was only the sample dress. Even the consultant in the store was surprised at how well it clung to my body.

As I gazed at myself in the mirror, I gazed down at my engagement ring. I looked back and forth from the ring to the dress, and suddenly my mind was clouded with an image of a dress that was colored in gorgeous, fading blue layers to match the very ring that was nestled between my fingers every day. I looked over at Alice and Rosalie, and I could tell by the way they were both looking at me that they knew I had come up with something. I smiled back at them and they simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"I think it needs a little something," I commented casually as Rosalie groaned. Could she seriously expect any less of me? Had she just met me?

"Couldn't just have a normal, white wedding dress, could you? Everything has to be so complicated with you artists," Rosalie griped.

"Actually, Rose, this dress only comes in ivory. If you really want to get technical about it," Alice argued, a cheeky smile covering her face as Rose childishly stuck her tongue out. "Now, Bella, tell me what you would like done to this already gorgeous dress so I can determine if it is possible, before you drive the seamstresses even more crazy than I already have."

"Blue."

"Blue?"

"Blue," I reiterated. "Sapphire blue."

"You want a _blue_ wedding dress?" Rosalie asked in disbelief. "God, why couldn't I just have some normal friends? Not ones that make me prepare a wedding at city hall in less than a month before changing their minds, and ones that want blue dresses," she continued as she looked at the ceiling as if she were actually praying.

"Oh, Rose, pipe down. None of us have been complaining while you plan your wedding and stick me and Alice in the ugliest dresses known to man, have we?" I knew she was joking for the most part, but I knew she loved Alice and me, and letting her thoughts be known was just part of what made Rose herself. That didn't mean it wasn't annoying, though. The bridal party dresses for Rosalie's wedding were really hideous. They were lemon yellow, definitely not my color, and even though she kept insisting that these were dresses we could wear again, I knew mine would be incinerated the very next day as I danced around the garbage can I would light it on fire in. It had layers of itchy fabric and was just… hideous. Did I mention it was lemon yellow?

"Gah. Sorry, Bella. I don't even want this huge wedding, but Emmett has like, twenty-seven cousins and there is really no choice in the matter. Now, tell us about this dress," she said supportively as I softened towards her, knowing full well how family could make even the best plans go awry.

"I was thinking of starting out with a white-ish bodice, and then color each layer a darker shade of blue, so it's not a freakishly color, but instead it just flows naturally. There will at least be a little tradition in there, which I know Edward will appreciate," I said wistfully, thinking of Edward. He was so going to flip out when he saw me in this dress. However, I couldn't really see myself walking down the aisle in a pure white dress. First of all, there would be snickers because all our guests would know I wasn't a virgin, and secondly, it just wasn't me. I was outgoing, creative and colorful. Hell, just the other day I wore a t-shirt with Super Grover on it when I went out to lunch with Edward and we bumped into one of the publishers of the magazine. I may have felt a bit awkward, but he didn't seem to mind and found it rather endearing, or so Edward said. I needed some color in there somewhere, and that color was blue, just like my ring.

Rosalie's cell phone started ringing just as the seamstress began taking my measurements, so she stepped outside to take the call. A few minutes later, she came back in and it was clear that she was out of breath.

"The boys… they're here. Well, Emmett and Edward are anyway. Since Jasper actually knew that Alice was here for her fitting, he didn't come. But apparently… Edward and Emmett are idiots, and didn't consider the fact that either of us might find a dress," she said between gasps of air. I immediately bounced off the podium, forgetting that there were needles stuck inside the dress, causing them to poke me in the ass.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I moaned loudly. "I'm sorry," I apologized to the seamstress before turning back to Alice and Rose. "Edward cannot come in here and see me in this dress. Every single thing in our relationship has been so untraditional, except this damn wedding. He is going to have all of the tradition I can bear to allow him, even if I have to get stuck with these needles a hundred times over."

"I'm sorry, miss, but I need to get your measurements, and this is the only room that's available right now. If you want, you can come back another time, but I make no promises that the dress will be here then," the seamstress said. _Gee, New York City really is a tough town, even when you've lived here for years._

I had no idea what to do. I could hear Edward and Emmett just a few feet away, their tall, manly heads sticking out from the crowd of women they were walking through. I threw my arms over my body, as if I was trying to hide my naked body from a room full of strangers when Edward and Emmett walked up to us.

"Gah! Go away! What the fuck are you two even doing here?" I yelled in frustration. Edward's eyes snapped towards me as a look of confusion, followed by one of recognition crossed his face. "Close your eyes, you idiot!" His hand flew over his eyes, and I darted awkwardly and stood behind both Rosalie and Alice, shielding myself.

"Is it safe?" Edward asked as he peeked through two of his fingers. Emmett was now in hysterics as Rosalie began threatening his manhood.

"Not unless you want me to gouge your eyes out with the seamstress' pen," Alice warned.

"Agh, just open your eyes, Edward. You won't see anything," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Edward," I said with a giggle. He was really so damn cute when he wasn't even trying. I felt a little bit bad for yelling at him, but the last person I expected to walk into the bridal salon today was my fiancé.

"In all fairness, I did try calling you to tell you we were coming," he said once he was allowed to look at me.

"Yeah, well I was obviously a little busy," I laughed anxiously as I continued to hold my arms around my body, shielding myself and effectively poking the pins into my skin deeper. _Fuck they hurt._ "What are you even doing here?"

"We were hoping you girls would be done and want to have lunch with us?" Edward stated sweetly as I smiled brightly at him.

"Em, didn't you have an audition this morning?" Rosalie asked as she continued to stand in front of me, hiding me from the view of the guys.

"Yup. Edward came with me for shits and giggles. I'm not sure if I will get the role, I think they were looking for something different."

"That's cause everyone else in the room was African American. You my friend… are a white guy," Edward patted Emmett on the back as Emmett looked completely embarrassed. "I'm not sure if you were aware of that."

"Okay, so I may have read the call sheet wrong. That's not important though. Anyway, are you girls able to eat lunch? I'm fricking starving," Emmett announced, clearly trying to deflect attention from his screw up, which I found adorable.

"Do we look ready to eat lunch?" Alice questioned snarkily. "Even though we know I don't skip meals anymore, we're not ready yet. This shit takes time." Then I watched with laughter on the tip of my tongue as Alice rubbed her hand over her belly and apologized to her baby for swearing.

"So I see. Well, Emmett and I should probably get going and let you continue doing… whatever it was you were doing before we got here. I'll see you at home," he said as he leaned in between Alice and Rose to kiss me.

"See you," I said as I watched him and Emmett walk away.

By the time we were all finished, we were all starving with the exception of Alice who had brought snacks with her. In fact, her purse looked like an aisle at the Whole Foods. However, rather than go out to eat, I really just wanted to go home to Edward and have dinner with him. We had hardly seen each other all day, with the exception of the encounter at the bridal salon that afternoon. When I got in, Edward and I ended up ordering in – Thai food – and then settling in to watch a movie. He tried his hardest to feel me up, but I was way too exhausted to fuck him properly, so I promised him two rounds the next day. He accepted that offer with a jolt of enthusiasm, and carried me to our bedroom where I slept serenely in his arms.

The next morning, I woke up next to a still sleeping Edward, with the sun shining through our window. I always loved watching Edward sleep, and watching as the sun made his hair glimmer. I decided that a quick trip to Common Grounds was in order, so I grabbed some clothes and tried to get dressed quietly, so that I could surprise him when he woke up. Of course, this was near impossible, simply because it was me and I could never do anything stealthily when I really wanted to. I ended up tripping as I tried to step into my jeans, effectively ruining my chances of leaving Edward sleeping peacefully.

"What the fuck? Bella?" he garbled, shooting up from his sleeping position and caught me sitting on the floor.

"Oops," I said as scrambled to my feet and buttoned my jeans. He looked at me quizzically, but I think that was mostly because he was still disoriented from sleep, bed head and all. "I was going to go get us some coffee. I was trying to surprise you," I explained.

Edward rubbed his eyes and smiled. "Hmm. I think this way is better, actually. Now we can go together and I don't have to worry about you spilling hot coffee on yourself." I stuck my tongue out at him as he hopped out of bed and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

I took a quick look at my calendar to make sure I didn't have anything important that I might have forgotten about, when the date struck me. "Oh my god."

"What?" Edward asked, his voice immediately laced with concern.

"Do you know what today is?" I said, turning around and wrapping my arms around his perfectly full waist.

"Um, Sunday?"

"Nope. Well, yes… but, hang on," I said as I ran over to the closet and picked up the seemingly random items of clothing. I stripped out of what I had pulled on earlier and tried on the new makeshift outfit before turning towards him. His face lit up with remembrance.

"Really? I can't believe I forgot. Too bad it's not raining today though, then you could wear it."

"Edward, you know me, as I have just proved by trying this outfit on. The same stupid owl t-shirt, the funkiest pair of shorts I own, the scarf I made when I was trying to learn knitting, and these ridiculous rain boots and the yellow slicker with matching hat I was wearing, precisely one year ago when I first saw that gorgeous face of yours. What makes you think I won't walk out of the house like this simply because you want me to?"

He walked over to me, sliding one arm around my waist and kissing the tip of my nose. "Because I love that you can still surprise me. Obviously."

"Well, for that I'm glad," I said before kissing him softly.

"You don't have to wear that though. It's brutally hot outside and as much as I love you, I don't want you sticking to me because you're wearing a rubber jacket."

I took off the jacket, hat, scarf, and boots, and replaced them with my Birkenstocks, and we headed down to Common Grounds. We both ordered our usual and spent the morning talking about the wedding. Our wedding wasn't going to be big, no matter how many times Edward had to tell his mother that we were getting married in New York, and not in Chicago where she could invite half of the city's high society.

Once we were finished our drinks, we opted to take a stroll around the city, and as if the day hadn't been perfect enough, we stumbled upon a small old café that was up for rent. My mind was immediately overtaken by images of Edward and I, our artwork on display around the entire place, all of our friends gathered around the tables enjoying pastries and drinks, and the two of us huddled up around the small fireplace when the weather was bad and no one was coming in.

It was perfect.

**EPOV**

I froze in front of the little shop, my mind inundated with possibilities, and when I looked at Bella she was grinning brightly at me. I hadn't seen her smile this big since the day we moved in together a couple of months ago. I lifted up her hand, which was entwined with mine and kissed her knuckles, just above her engagement ring. We hadn't yet set a date, but I wasn't as stressed about that as my mother was. I knew Bella and I were destined to be together, the wedding was just a formality.

"It's for rent, you know," Bella said casually as we both glanced at the sign in the small window. "Don't you think it would be fitting if we owned a coffee shop? Don't make me bring up the irony of this day," Bella laughed lightly and I let out a small sigh. It would be rather satirical if we owned the shop, considering we had fallen in love inside of one, but it just wasn't the direction I saw my life going.

"It would be fitting, but it's not like we can afford it, Bella," I replied simply as she kissed my cheek and grabbed the door handle of the shop, swinging on it slightly. "I mean, sure, you sold that one painting to Mr. McKenzie for like fifty grand, but I don't want us to put all our hard earned money into buying a lemon. There has to be a reason why the shop is out of business, right?"

"I couldn't maintain it," said a grey haired man who walked up behind us and smiled at Bella and me. Bella stepped away from the door and he opened it, stepping inside and ushering us in with him. "I ran this coffee shop with my wife for over twenty years. If it hadn't been for the cancer, we'd still be here. It was a very successful business until about six months ago."

The gentleman walked towards the back of the shop as I watched Bella's eyes dart around frantically, her smile growing brighter with the thoughts and ideas she was clearly having. I didn't like to say no to Bella, ever, but I didn't see how this was feasible for us. We had some savings built up, but we were saving it for our wedding and to buy ourselves a new home, not to buy a rundown coffee shop in the Village. "Makeena, that's my wife, was very artistic and had a vision of this being a gallery and coffee house all rolled into one. She wanted it to be eclectic, but somewhere people would feel comfortable. Unfortunately, real life got in the way and her art fell by the wayside in our efforts to make the shop successful."

"Oh my god, I was just having the same thought. How great it would be to cover the walls in paintings by local artists, like my fiancée and I, and showcase their work."

"Do you paint?" the gentleman asked of Bella as she nodded her head slowly.

"My fiancé here is a photographer," she advised as she reached her hand out to him and introduced herself. "I'm Isabella Swan. This stiff is Edward Cullen."

"Alistair Thomas," he said cordially as Bella took the seat beside him at a back table and they began chatting happily about art and the coffee shop in general. Alistair filled us in on more of the history of the shop and the building. He let us know that the building was not for sale, he was planning to keep that, but he was renting out the shop space on the main floor and was hoping it would eventually reach its potential. "I wish I could make Makeena's dream come true. I'm certain she would be looking down from heaven and cheering you on."

"Whoa… we never said we were going to rent this place," I corrected as I continued to look around the shop, actually impressed by how clean and nice it was. There was a red brick wall on the left side, which even I could picture housing paintings or photos from artists. The hardwood floor was clearly well cared for and the entire place just felt comfortable and homey. It's no wonder Alistair and Makeena had loved it so much.

"Edward, just consider it," Bella said with pleading eyes as I looked at her in confusion. "Sure, we know nothing about running a coffee shop, but neither did Alistair and he made this a successful business for twenty years. Plus, we have one thing he didn't," Bella said smugly as I narrowed my eyes.

"Oh, and what would that be?"

"Maggie."

"How the hell do we have Maggie? If she knew we would stop visiting her three times a day she would hate us," I replied as Bella laughed.

"Well that's easy. Maggie practically runs that shop and doesn't get paid nearly enough. I have no doubt that if we asked her to jump ship and work for us, she would. Plus, she lives two blocks away from here. It's closer for her," Bella said with a wide grin as I rolled my eyes. "She hates it at Common Grounds."

"Bella, this isn't an easy decision. There are a lot of things to take into consideration and you are acting like this deal is already signed, sealed, and delivered. I just don't think that right now is a good time for us to take on such a huge challenge like this." I hated being the logical one when Bella was clearly more of the free spirit in our relationship. However, I couldn't justify spending all of our money on a coffee shop when we knew nothing about them other than drinking their coffee and eating their muffins.

"Don't you ever just get a feeling about something instantly, Edward? Love at first sight and all that stuff," she asked me, her eyes completely lit up with joy. Yeah, I had felt like that… the first moment I saw her in Common Grounds a year ago. I just nodded my head in response as Bella winked at me. "Well, I have a feeling about this shop. I think we can do great business and encourage art in the neighborhood. I want to take a chance on it, whether you are in with me or not."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I have the money from the McKenzie sale, and I may have a little bit extra stashed away for a rainy day from my first two shows. I live fairly frugally, Edward; unless you discount all the money I spend on my art supplies and catchy slogan t-shirts."

"We should decide this together, Bella. We are engaged and this decision will affect both of us," I replied as Bella stood up from her seat beside Alistair and walked towards me with a smirk on her face.

"Edward, haven't you ever taken a chance on something?"

"Yeah, but that's beside the point."

"How much is the monthly rent on this place, Alistair?" Bella called out behind her, as he shouted out, $4,000. Shit, that was more than I thought. Then again, this was the Village, so $4,000 for a few hundred square feet of space wasn't unheard of.

"The place practically pays for itself," he added as I groaned while Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my lips softly. She was trying to crush my walls, and it was working. A little too well.

"Yeah, Edward, the place practically pays for itself," Bella purred as she kissed me again and I pulled back, staring at her with concern written across my face "Be spontaneous."

"This is an expensive venture, it's not logical to be spontaneous. Anyway, what about your art, Bella?"

"Well, once things get working here like a well oiled machine, thanks to Maggie of course, then I can focus on my art again. Plus, I know someone who would probably become a silent partner." Bella small smile went into a large grin and I rolled my eyes, worried about who she would mention. "Your mother."

"Oh no… my mother is not getting her perfectly manicured mitts into our coffee shop. She'd have you serving crustless cucumber sandwiches and margaritas… together!"

"Ha! Our coffee shop. I heard that! You won't regret it, baby," Bella gushed as she wrapped her arms around my neck and began kissing my face over and over again.

"I never said yes."

"You will, babe," Bella replied, winking at me as she went back to talk to Alistair to discuss actual business details, and I headed into the back to check everything out. It really was a perfect little shop that we could build together and turn into a successful coffee shop and art gallery. When I looked back at Bella discussing specifics with Alistair, I knew there was no way I could deny her considering how excited she was. I was leery about it, but willing to take the chance with her. I would do anything with and for her.

As we left the shop twenty minutes later, Bella had Alistair's phone number programmed in her phone and a plan to see him in a few days to discuss the details of his store rental in full. She insisted on dragging me into Common Grounds to see Maggie and we were both shocked at how quickly she agreed. We offered her the job of managing the coffee shop and Bella also called Rosalie & Alice and made plans to meet with them and Maggie later in the week to pick their brains about running a business.

When we got home that night, my mind and body were both exhausted. Bella and I tossed ourselves onto our living room couch and simply looked at each other with smiles on our faces. "You know this is going to kill our mothers, right?" I questioned with a smirk.

"How is that?"

"They have been all over us to set a date since the day they found out we were engaged, and we haven't. Now we go and decide to open a coffee shop instead? My mother is going to freak out!"

"Yeah, Renee may cause a bit of a shit storm. She keeps asking if I am pregnant and just keeping it from her," Bella remarked with a laugh. "And when I casually mentioned Jasper and Alice's wedding, she was all excited that we were going to be married next. I told her Rosalie and Emmett were doing a destination wedding in the fall and we were going to be after them."

"Well, have you thought about us setting a date?" I asked curiously as Bella curled up beside me and rested her head on my chest. Now that we were doing this coffee shop business, I found myself thinking all afternoon about wanting to settle down more than ever. It was the next logical step in my opinion, certainly more logical than two people with simply a love of coffee and art opening their own coffee shop.

"Let's just fly to Vegas and do it. Sure, our mothers will be disappointed, but I want to do something that is just for us, you know? My dress will be ready fairly soon, I think."

"I know, baby, but I don't think Vegas is us. I may have had an idea about that though," I admitted tentatively as Bella turned her head to look at me in the eye, clearly curious about what I had in mind. "Well, you know in my past I have seen a lot of weddings in the city. It only makes sense that I may have something in mind for my own, you know?"

"Oh really? Do share, please."

"Well, there's the Sky Room over at the New Museum. I know for a fact if they have exhibits open, they sometimes let guests check them out. I saw a great exhibit by Amy Granat last spring when I did a wedding there."

"Very interesting idea."

"And the Nassau County Museum in Roslyn Harbor is a good site. I did one wedding down at the United Nations that was beautiful too. They have a rooftop patio overlooking the East River and the skyline."

"Seriously, the United Nations?"

"What? It's a nice location."

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"Okay, we can have some big grand wedding that will placate both our mothers and you."

"Well, I don't want to do it if you aren't into it. I just think this is the only time we will get married, and I think we should do it right." I couldn't help but feel like Bella was simply placating me, and it was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted her to be just as excited as I was.

"I'll call my contact down at the New Museum and we can go check out their space. Sound good?"

"Seriously?" I said excitedly as Bella just nodded her head up and down. "You realize I don't really care where or when we get married, just that we do right?"

"I know, baby. But you are right; our love is something to celebrate. Let's do it."

I leaned forward and kissed Bella gently on the lips as I breathed a sigh of relief. I had pictured us having a wedding surrounded by our family and friends and I was glad she agreed. With my history of wedding photography, I couldn't really imagine not having a nice wedding, even though I saw firsthand all the work that went into them.

I lazily began stroking my hand up and down Bella's back as her breathing evened out and she began to fall asleep. "Hey, what about my two rounds, missy?"

Bella yawned hugely, rolling over on her side and squeezing me tightly. "Just wake me up when you're ready." I chuckled lightly, gently shaking Bella's sleeping form up and down.

"Okay, baby."

I looked out the front window and watched the cars drive by our street as a grin spread across my face. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that meeting this complete mess of a girl last May, that it would lead me to the love of my life. I wouldn't change it for the world though. She was my everything. My Penny Lane.

_Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes  
There beneath the blue suburban skies...  
Penny Lane._

**A/N: Can you believe that all that is left is the epilogue? Us either! Thanks for joining us on this wonderful little ride. When we started this story, we never anticipated to get the response we have gotten, so thank you. You guys rock.**


	35. The End

**CPW: Can you believe we're already at the epilogue?**

**FLB11: No. It still feels like when we first began posting chapters last year.**

**CPW: Oh and I know some of you have been asking, but there's no sequel. **

**FLB11: Yeah, there will be a few outtakes posted but no sequel. CPW and I may have another story up our sleeves that will post one day**

**CPW: Oh don't tell them that because then they will want to know more about it.**

**FLB11: Okay then, we'll tell them it's about these two fucked up teens that can't sleep without each other. That works right?**

**CPW: Yeah… if we're writing the sequel to Wide Awake. LOL.**

**FLB11: We don't own Twilight; but we both watch Big Brother. Look out for the Meow Meow!**

**CPW: What straight man refers to himself as a pussy? Seriously? LOL**

_**Three years later**_

**BPOV**

"Oh, you are so much worse than I was when I was pregnant. Are you sure this is where you want it?" Alice asked, trying to be helpful. However, she was clearly struggling with the task of putting up the new photo of Edward's that I had just gotten framed. In her defense, it was the tenth time I'd asked her to move it since my big six months pregnant stomach was preventing me from stretching my body in pretty much any capacity.

"I'm sorry, Alice. I just want it to be perfect for when Edward gets here. I know he loves this picture," I said proudly as I stared at the photo with a huge smile on my face. It was a photograph he'd taken before we were even together of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge. He'd submitted it to the magazine a few months ago, to go along with a story that one of the columnists had been writing, and it had earned him some major success. I wanted to surprise him by putting a reminder of it in our coffee shop, where all of our friends and customers could see it.

Edward and I opened our coffee house, which we appropriately named _Abbey Road Café_, just after we were married two years ago. It had taken us a little longer than it should have to get the shop together, but we were so busy with the wedding that the two events were scheduled to happen at almost the same time. We opened _Abbey Road_ as soon as we had gotten back from our honeymoon, and although the first year of business, combined with the first year of marriage had been hard, Edward and I managed to make it work. We were finally pulling in some profit now that we were two years into the business and it couldn't have come at a better time since our little girl was due to arrive in a little less than three months.

"I know, Bella. It's so great that you're doing this for him. He should be back with Jazz and Parker any minute."

I sighed, releasing all the nervous excitement that had built up from doing all of this while Edward was gone, and went to see how Maggie was doing with the inventory. Edward and I had been training her in running virtually every aspect of the shop – more than she already did – so that we would be prepared when the baby was born. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie would also be helping out, but Alice and Jasper had their two-year old son, Parker, to chase after, in addition to handling their own stores. Rose and Emmett even offered to help but since they were trying to have a baby themselves, we didn't want to rely on them too much. Sure, we had other staff, but no one we trusted implicitly like we did Maggie.

"How are you doing, Maggie? Not so bad, right?" I asked as I crossed my arms and leaned my elbows on the counter to take a peek at what she was working on.

"Bella, it's no problem, I promise. You should go home and get some rest or something. You spend too much time here as it is," she said, looking at me with a stern gaze. We seriously lucked out when she agreed to follow us on our business venture; Edward and I couldn't have imagined our coffee house in better hands. Edward and I had initially been on a steep learning curve with the café and in the early goings it took a lot of my time, leaving less for my art. However, now that things had settled down a bit, I had managed to find a good balance between the coffee house, my art and my husband. Adding a baby to the mix was certainly going to wreak havoc on our lives, but we were ready for it.

"That's what I keep telling her, but do you think she listens to me? I'm only her husband," Edward said from behind, startling me. I turned around to face him and my breath caught as I watched him carrying a smiling Parker on his shoulders. Small tears formed in my eyes as I watched him with that sweet little boy and I realized that I couldn't wait to give him a daughter of his own.

"Says the man who fell asleep across the counter last week," I replied as I pushed myself off the counter and shuffled over to him. He placed Parker back down on the floor, which caused a little bit of an uproar.

"Unc Eward! No!" he said, stomping his foot in protest as his mouth formed into the cutest little pout. "Can I pease go back after you kiss Auntie Bwella?" I laughed heartily and wrapped my arms tightly around Edward. He kissed the tip of my nose and sighed, brushing a piece of hair from my face.

"Yes, but you're pregnant. You need to be resting, not working so much." Edward was trying to keep his attention on me, but no one within a ten mile radius could miss the 2 year old about to through a temper tantrum at his feet.

"Unc E_ward_!" Parker screamed loudly, the stomp of his foot once again demanding our attention.

"Yes, Parker, you can go up again, as soon as I am done talking some sense into Auntie Bella, okay?" Parker nodded his little head, sending his wild blonde hair bouncing. He looked so much like Jasper, but had the complete personality of Alice. The boy was a force to be reckoned with, that was for sure. Edward turned back to face me as I prepared my weekly 'don't work too much' speech.

"I do not work that much. Now turn around, there is something I want you to see," I said, completely changing the subject before he tried to push me out of the shop and back to our place to rest, yet again. I put my hands on his arms and twisted his body around so he could see the photograph Alice and I had just finished putting on the wall.

"What the… did you hang that up? Bella, you really shouldn't be lifting something up that high," he said as he shifted himself to rub my back. I was beginning to wish I could pop the kid out sooner because he was overreacting over everything.

"Edward, I did not hang that photo up, I can't even move my body in any way that would make it possible. Well, I could, but you would scream at me. Alice did it. Now just shut up and enjoy it," I said as I put my hands on my hips and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Okay, okay, calm down there, fireball. I'm sorry. I love it, Bella. Thank you," he said as he enveloped me in his embrace again and rubbed my stomach. I placed my hands over his and all too soon there was the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Do we seriously have to go through this every day? Emmett, I might consider holding off on the whole baby thing until I no longer have any desire to touch you. Edward and Bella are making me sick," Rosalie said from the doorway of the shop.

"But Rosie, that means we'll have to stop practicing, and I really don't want to have to go without twice the sex just yet," Emmett protested, not unlike Parker did a few minutes earlier. Then again, Emmett and the two year old did share virtually the same brain.

"Oh, up yours, Rose," I said, childishly sticking out my tongue at her.

"Up yours? Really?" Emmett said as he could barely contain his fit of giggles.

"Bella is trying to abstain from swearing around the baby," Edward said in my defense as he rubbed my back. He kissed my temple and resumed moving his hand soothingly around my baby belly. "In one of the books I was reading it said that the baby would be able to hear us soon and the last thing we wanted the baby to hear was us cursing."

"Well that's just fucking stupid," Emmett declared as Jasper swiftly shoved his hands over Parker's ears so that he couldn't hear the swearing. "How on earth do people know this shit? Do they ask the babies in the womb? Perhaps send them to on their little in utero laptops to give their opinions?"

"Ooh, that reminds me! I picked up another Beatles CD that we can play here in the store while I'm working," I said excitedly. Edward and I had agreed on playing the baby a lot of music, mostly the Beatles.

"Which bring us to the reason we're here. Alice, Jasper, Emmett and I voted, and we're giving you guys the weekend off. We can handle things here as long as we have Maggie's help. Plus George, Maisey and Matt will be in for their usual shifts, so you two better scram," Rosalie announced with determination in her eyes. Edward and I looked at each other nervously, but we both knew that she was right. We needed a break, even if all we did was lounge around at home and discuss baby names.

"Okay, fine. But be careful with the cappuccino machine, it's been very temperamental lately," I said as I searched my brain for more information that they should all know. "Oh, and Alice, ease up on the amount of syrup you put in the latte's. I felt like I was ready to run a marathon yesterday after you made me that caramel latte and it was decaf!"

"Let's go, Bella, you and I both know that they'll be fine," Edward said, tugging on my arm. I had a sneaking suspicion that he had something to do with this, but as I thought about it, my feet were beginning to throb.

"Where are we going?" I asked, grabbing Edward's hand as he opened the passenger side door of the new Volvo XC90 we'd purchased about a month ago. Neither of us really wanted to be using public transportation now that I was pregnant, and we were even more adamant about it when we thought about carrying a baby on the subway. The subway was great for me as I traveled around as a young artist, but I'm the more I thought about it, the less likely I was to bring our newborn on a train.

"I know a place we can go," Edward declared with a little spark in his eye as I smiled tentatively at him.

We drove for about ten minutes through fairly light Manhattan traffic and my face lit up when I saw we had reached Central Park. "Have I told you lately that I love you?" I asked, taking his hand as he helped me get out of the car. Well, as much as I let him help; I wasn't exactly that huge. Yet.

"Yes, Van, you have," Edward said with a snarky smile across his face.

"Hardy har har."

"I told you 'bout Strawberry Fields," Edward sang with a smile and also incredibly off key.

"You know the place where nothing is real?" I countered, swinging my feet in contentment as we sat on one of the benches in Strawberry Fields, in front of the 'Imagine' mosaic. "You're such a dork," I told him with a grin creeping up on my face. However, he was _my_ dork.

"Yep, but you wouldn't have me any other way," he said, leaning in kissing my lips tenderly.

"Nope," I smiled against his kiss, feeling the warm sun shine down upon us.

We were being complete fools, but neither of us cared. It was a beautiful spring day and the park was glimmering with sunshine and the happy faces of adults and children alike. Beautiful flowers and silken rose petals surrounded the mosaic, and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. Edward and I sat on a bench, hand-in-hand, just enjoying the weather and the music provided by two men playing guitars, who were serenading all of those around Strawberry Fields. It was really very surreal.

"I'll be right back," Edward whispered into my ear. He kissed my cheek softly, getting up with his new Nikon proudly in his grasp. He started snapping pictures of the musicians and the flowers surrounding the words below his feet and I leaned back into the bench. I pulled my sketchpad from my small, colorful patchwork bag that I carried with me everywhere, because what would a day in the park be if Edward were taking photos and I wasn't sketching? That's like having a peanut butter sandwich, without the jelly. It just doesn't work, because there's nothing to cut the stickiness of the peanut butter. It just doesn't mesh well.

I stared at him, because in my opinion, there were very few things that were sexier than Edward taking photos. I loved to watch him get lost in it, capturing the perfect moment, as he did something he loved so much. I saw the ring on his left hand flicker in the sunlight and I smiled to myself because he wore my ring on his finger every day. I loved the warmth that spread through me when I thought how everyone in the park knew that he was mine. Well, they knew he belonged to someone, but they probably figured it was me, considering we were all over each other from the moment we got into the park earlier in the day.

I toyed with the two rings on my own finger as I watched him, my diamond and sapphire antique engagement ring bringing a huge grin to my face as I remembered the moment Edward proposed to me, which seemed so long ago. I pulled myself from my memories and turned my attention to the other people in the park, searching for the perfect subject to fill the next page in my sketchpad. I was tempted to sketch Edward's ass, but I knew I had to focus on something else, so I turned my attention to a little girl, sitting on a nearby bench with her mother, simply enjoying each other's company. I began drawing the pair, getting up and covertly walking around so I could get a closer look.

The wind was caressing my face as I sketched through the stray hairs blowing loose, when I felt a pair of strong arms slid around my waist, and I was startled for a moment until I realized who it was. "Getting any ideas?" Edward asked, rubbing my stomach softly. I left the world of my drawing and everything else snapped back into place as I turned to look into his beautiful green eyes, only to find myself quickly getting lost in those too.

"Yeah, I need to sit down," I said, realizing that I had been standing longer than I thought and my lower back was killing me.

"Okay, babe," Edward said as he grabbed my hand and walked us back to the bench we had been perched on earlier. Well, he walked. I waddled. "Just a few more months," he said with an excited glint in his eyes as he patted my stomach once we sat down.

"I know. We don't even have any names picked out yet," I laughed. I knew we still had plenty of time before our little girl was born, but I was eager to give her a name already.

However, as soon as I mentioned giving our daughter a name, I got the strangest sense of déjà vu. It was creepy. Like, I was shivering on an abnormally warm spring day, kind of creepy. My mouth hung open as I stared at the flowers in front of us, and I immediately knew the name of our daughter.

"Bella? You okay, baby?" Edward asked, his voice straining with concern. He placed his hand on my shoulder as I nodded my head, although I was still plenty stunned. I was literally living a dream I'd had when I was in the hospital nearly four years ago.

"Lily."

"Lily? What are you talking about?" Edward immediately twisted his body to face me, while at the same moment turning me toward him. "Bella, you have goose bumps. Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm fine. Edward, do you remember a few years ago when I told you about a dream I had in the hospital? The one where I recognized my engagement ring from?" He nodded his head and I continued my still surreal explanation. "It's happening again. In my dream, we sat right here and named our daughter. Lily."

"Really?" he asked. His face held an expression that was a goofy form of shocked. He was smiling his lop-sided grin, and staring down at my stomach as if this were the first time he'd seen it. He bent his head down, and rested it on my stomach with care. "Lily," he repeated as he kissed and caressed it with love. "I love it."

I sighed contentedly and stroked his hair. "Me too. Now all we need to do is wait for her to finish cooking and come out."

**EPOV**

"What do you want from Santa for Christmas, Lily?" I asked Lily sweetly as she sat on the floor between my legs and we played happily with some of the lettered blocks. She grabbed the C and the S letters, smashing them together in her tiny little hands as she cheered excitedly.

"Toys!" Lily screamed at the top of her lungs as I simply laughed at her exuberance. Lily was the spitting image of Bella with the same chocolate brown eyes and gorgeous smile. She was bald the moment she was born back in August of last year, but even then she looked just like my beautiful wife. Now, Lily was 16 months old with short curly brown hair and she was the light of my life. I was so thankful that I freelanced, and earned a decent enough living that I could spend a lot of time during the day with her because everything she did fascinated me.

"I already told you that you were getting lots of toys," declared Renee as she came into the living room with a drink clutched in her hand and Phil at her side.

"She's not supposed to know that, Renee. You are giving away the mystique of Santa Claus."

"She's one… she has no idea what I am saying half the time," Renee replied, attempting to defend herself as Charlie strolled in behind her, Bella following close behind.

"Well, we want Lily to think there is a Santa Claus, so don't ruin it for her," I replied, trying to sound sweet for Lily's sake, yet threatening enough that Renee would get the point. I looked at Lily as I spoke to Renee, and as she stared back at me, her innocent eyes seemed to grow with the love she was reflecting back at me.

"Hon, did I forget to tell you how Renee ruined Christmas for me when I was five?" Bella asked as Renee sat down on the couch beside Phil and took a long swig of her drink. She narrowed her eyes at Bella, no doubt asking her not to say anything, but Bella just shook her head and smiled. "You are not getting out of this one, Mom. So, I was five years old and I came home from seeing my Grandma Swan with my dad and found Renee in the kitchen wrapping gifts. She claimed that she was 'helping' Santa because he was so busy and I sweetly offered to help, since I didn't want Santa to be overloaded with gift wrapping. After all, he had so many presents to deliver on Christmas Eve, right?"

"Bella, when will you get over this? The story isn't funny anymore," Renee snapped as Phil and Charlie urged Bella on, knowing full well the story was still hilarious.

"Anyway, so Renee hands me some gifts to help her wrap. Lo and behold on Christmas morning when I start to unwrap my presents, and they are the same fricking ones I wrapped thinking I was helping Santa. Mom was so tired of all my questions and nagging that she just gave up and told me Santa wasn't real."

"Nice way to spoil the holidays for your kid there, Renee," Charlie chuckled from the armchair Bella had gotten for my birthday a few months ago.

"Oh shut it there, Chief," Renee chided angrily as she turned towards Charlie. "If I do recall, didn't you run over her cat Snowball and she was none the wiser?"

"What the hell, Dad? You told me Snowball ran away!" Bella shouted angrily, clearly upset that her cat had died at the hands – or tires – of her father.

"Jesus Christ, Renee, you kept that shit quiet for over twenty years and you had to bring it up now?"

"Jeebus," Lily shouted beside me happily as she banged more blocks together and then stood up shakily to run over to Bella, clutching her leg tightly. Bella lifted her up and nuzzled close to her as Lily giggled heartily. I had to admit that despite Bella's reservations when we first found out we were expecting, she was an extraordinary mother.

Shortly after Lily was born, Bella finally decided it was time to do the nursery. We had decided on a music theme in pinks, whites and purples, and Bella painted our daughter's name in calligraphy on the wall, Lily Madeline. There were music notes and polka dots all over the room, with little musical accents like guitars, violins and flutes painted on the wall. Along the very top was a border of song lyrics from the Beatles.

_There was love all around  
But I never heard it singing  
No I never heard it at all  
Till there was you_

When Bella was pregnant, I used to sing that song to her belly on a regular basis and the meaning simply skyrocketed when Lily was born. When she was really cranky and wouldn't calm down, it would take me cuddling her in my arms or rocking her in the chair in her bedroom while singing that song to her before she would relax and fall back to sleep.

As Bella went to sit beside Charlie, who was busy watching Sportscenter on TV, while cradling Lily, there was a loud knock on the front door and Renee suddenly shrieked excitedly. The door flew open and in stumbled my mother, dressed in a faux fur coat and a huge fur hat. I understood that this was Christmastime in Manhattan, but she was dressed ridiculously. As I stood up to greet my mother, Renee lunged forward and wrapped herself around her like they were long distance lovers who hadn't seen each other in ages. The thought completely grossed me out and I shook my head as my mother reached towards me for a hug.

"Is that any way to greet your mother?" she said with a pout as I leaned in a kissed her cheek gently. "Edward, be a dear and go help your father with the luggage. I'm certain I packed way too much. I've been shopping for this Christmas since the last one ended." I let out a small groan as my mother then pushed me out of the way and made a beeline for Bella and Lily. "Oh my gosh, she has gotten so big. Come to Grandma Esme," my mother shouted loudly as Lily began crying profusely, no doubt scared by the crazy looking Muppet who just tried to accost her.

"I think you scared the kid, Es," laughed Charlie as he helped my mother out of her coat and Phil went to the door to help me get the luggage. My mother was right, she had completely over packed. There were four huge suitcases sitting at the curb as Phil and I grabbed them while my father paid for the cab. It was almost twenty minutes later, after calming Lily down and getting my parents settled, that we were able to all sit in the comfort of the living room and relax.

Bella and I had finally become homeowners during the summer before Lily was born, buying a decent sized brownstone in the village with some inheritance from my family. I didn't really need the money since we had a good savings account thanks to our jobs and the coffee shop, so we thought real estate was a decent investment. The house was three levels and had four bedrooms, so thankfully there was a lot of room for our families to come and visit. Unfortunately for us, they all loved to do it at the same time.

Our living room was a little cramped with seven adults, dozens of toys, an infant who was walking like a machine and our huge Christmas tree. It was December 23rd and thankfully Christmas would be upon us soon, but as Bella sat on my lap, with Lily perched in her arms, I felt a huge surge of relief run through me. It was funny how this was everything I had always wanted; the wonderful wife, the perfect daughter and the great, albeit, eccentric family.

The moms began chatting wildly as they cracked into a few bottles of wine that Bella and I had picked up for the holidays. "Can you ladies slow your roll, at the rate you are going Bella and I are going to need to buy all the wine in Manhattan just to get through Christmas Day," I said with a smile, though I wasn't joking.

"Oh Edward, don't be such a pussy," my mother shouted as all eyes turned to look at her and she looked both shocked and excited at what she had called me.

"Esme," my father said smoothly as he tried to chastise her, but she just winked at him and it made me feel weird, and not in a good way.

"Oh cool it, Carlisle. I say worse things than that at home," she declared as my father just shook his head, but Renee, Phil and even Charlie seemed interested to know what she would say back in Chicago. "Did you know I once asked one of Carlisle's assistants if the carpet matched the curtains? I heard it on some TV show one day and I had no idea what it meant. Then she whispered to me that she had hardwood and I so was confused. Thank god Renee showed me how to Giggle something on the computer."

"Google, mother. It's called Google, not giggle."

"Google, giggle… potato, patatoe… who gives a shit?"

"Esme, did you notice that Lily is still awake, do you think you can watch your mouth?" Bella asked politely as Lily let out a small yawn and I was thankful that it was almost her bedtime. Suddenly, laughter broke out in the room as my mother stuck out her bottom lip and began to stare down at her mouth, her eyes going cross eyed in the process.

"Sorry Bella, can't see watch my mouth," my mother declared with a slur in her voice as she stood up and grabbed the arm of the couch to balance herself. "Come on, Renee, let's go do another one of those shots we had after I walked in."

"You mean the jingle bell?" Renee asked as she moved from Phil's side and began moving into the kitchen with my mother following close behind her.

"If that was the name of that tasty red and green thing, then yes, please… give me more."

Charlie, Phil and my father decided it would be best to follow the women into the kitchen to make sure nothing got broken or they didn't injure themselves, leaving me, Bella and Lily alone for the first time since Bella's family had flown in to New York two days earlier.

Lily let out another yawn and I looked at the clock on the mantel and decided it was probably best if she went to bed, so Bella and I took her in to the kitchen to say goodnight to everyone and then carried her upstairs to her nursery.

I quickly changed her diaper and put lotion on her little body before Bella handed me her Christmas pajamas, with little snowmen all over them. Once she was all ready for bed, Bella rocked her for a little bit while I cleaned up and fixed the bed so Lily could sleep comfortably. Esme had arrived with yet another stuffed animal, this time it was a creepy looking narwhal that I ended up shoving in the back of the closet because it freaked Lily out. Hell, it freaked Bella and me out.

My mother was really trying to be a great grandmother, but she was overdid it sometimes, thus making Lily a little stressed. Every time she visited, she showered Lily in gifts and clothes that weren't really needed, and Bella had tried to talk to her about being a little more relaxed about everything. Considering how much she and Renee had pushed us about having a kid in the first place, I was surprised to see how my mother was reacting. As we laid Lily into her bed and closed the door a bit, making sure the baby monitor was on, I reassured Bella that I would talk to my mother over the next few days and try to get her to calm down.

Of course, as we descended the stairs after being away for almost thirty minutes and saw Renee and Esme prancing around while wearing tinsel around their necks, I knew that this night was definitely not the time to talk to my mother. She was with her best friend and was clearly three sheets to the wind. Either she was a lightweight or she had chugged her weight in booze since she came in the house almost an hour and a half earlier.

Bella and I finally reached the bottom step, as Renee and Esme stopped in front of us and then looked at each other with a twinkle in their eye before they turned to look at Bella and I. Then they both spoke at exactly the same time and it was extremely creepy. "So, when are you guys having another baby?"

I looked over at Bella who simply smiled at me with a wide grin and nodded her head slowly before entwining her fingers in mine. It was times like these that I was thrilled that one night, almost five years ago, I stumbled into a chat room online and began talking about the Beatles with the most beautiful girl alive.

"Actually, we weren't going to tell you until Christmas morning, but Bella is due in June." I moved our joined hands over her small stomach and began rubbing it gently, knowing that very soon she would be showing again and we would be adding to our family. As I looked at my wife and kissed her temple sweetly, I realized that my life was exactly how I wanted it. Perfect.

**A/N: We want to thank every single one of you who has taken the time to read, review and even recommend this story. We are floored by the response we have gotten for this little labor of love and we are so happy everyone loved Paperback_Writer & PennyLane84 as much as we did.**

**Don't worry… we're working on something new, including some outtakes, so make sure you have us or this story on alert. We love you guys!**


	36. FGB Outtake Posted

**A/N: I know, we all hate AN's disguised as new chapters, but this one has a purpose, I swear.**

**Head on over to the MIFFY outtakes on our profile entitled "MIFFY: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" and you can find an awesome outtake purchased by the lovely and swino for the Fandom Gives Back Auction. There's lots of fuckery and maybe even *gasp*a wedding!**

**Thanks again for being such loyal readers and supporting our efforts. If you are interested in a honeymoon outtake, check out the final AN in our current outtake for more information.**

**-coldplaywhore & Flightlessbird11**


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